The World Health Organization now ranks physical inactivity as 4th largest killer globally, behind obesity. A 2010 American Cancer Society study followed 123,216 individuals (66,776 women and 53,440 men) from 1993-2006.
The alarming results:
- Women who were inactive and sat over 6 hours a day were 94% more likely to die during the time period studied than those who were physically active and sat less than 3 hours a day.
- Men who were inactive and sat over 6 hours daily were 48% more likely to die than their standing counterparts.
These findings were independent of physical activity levels – the negative effects of sitting were just as strong in people who exercised regularly. Likewise, kids are becoming more out of shape with each passing year, with only 42% of kids being as fit as they should be. And, because cardiovascular fitness is one of the best indicators of lifelong health, this is a concerning statistic.