Physical inactivity is associated with five million deaths a year and global efforts to

avoid sedentary lifestyles have stalled, in addition

to the pandemic, as lockdowns "are probably associated with less physical activity in general."

The authors of a series of studies published by

The Lancet

call for "immediate and urgent action"

to prioritize research and public health measures that improve physical activity,

coinciding with the opening, on Friday, of the Tokyo Olympics .

Adolescents and people with disabilities are the groups least likely to have the necessary support to comply with the physical activity guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Lack of physical activity is associated with an

increased risk of noncommunicable diseases, such

as heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers, and costs at least $ 54 billion a year in direct health expenditures (about $ 45.7 billion). euros at the current exchange rate), of which 31,000 million dollars (more than 26,200 million euros) are paid by the public sector, the publication indicates.

Sedentary lifestyle

also has effects on covid-19,

since inactive people and those suffering from non-communicable diseases "have a much greater chance of being hospitalized or dying" if they become infected.

One of the investigations focuses on

adolescents

, a group in which physical activity must be improved and research on this aspect is limited. 80% of adolescents in school do not meet the guidelines recommended by the WHO of

60 minutes of physical activity a day

and "there has been little progress since 2012". 40% never walk to school and 25% sit for more than three hours a day, outside of the time dedicated to school and homework.

The team led by the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom) analyzed the

time they spend in front of a screen

in 38 European countries.

60% of boys and 56% of girls spend two hours a day watching television.

That same amount of time is dedicated to videogames by 51% and 33% respectively;

however, "little is known" about how it affects your cardiovascular and mental health.

The main author of the work,

Esther van Sluijs,

stressed that it is essential to explore the short and long-term consequences of sedentary lifestyle in adolescents and identify effective ways to promote increased physical activity, especially in light of the pandemic.

The

virtual schooling and social distancing

have "dramatically reduced physical activity and increased the use of screens, and the consequences of these changes could last a

lifetime ,

" he said.

The study focused on

people with disabilities

emphasizes that more must be done to enhance their rights to participate in physical activity, which can bring benefits to their physical, mental, sensory or intellectual health.

However, this group is between 16 and 62% less likely to comply with the guidelines on physical activity and are at greater risk of serious health problems related to a sedentary lifestyle.

The researchers, led by the University of British Columbia (Canada) found that any activity, even

less than the 150 minutes per week recommended

by the WHO, has benefits for cardiovascular health, muscle strength, functional abilities and mental health of this people.

The Olympic Games is the subject of the third study, and the authors note that they have had "

minimal impact on physical activity in host cities."

Mass sporting events "are a missed opportunity to change population-level health and physical activity" around the world, said study lead author

Adrian Bauman

of the University of Sydney.

The challenge is to translate their enthusiasm into "sustained public health programs that are achievable and enjoyable for the public."

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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