Sedentary Behaviour In Australia

The significance for this research project is that it will provide relevant and up to date data of the current levels of physical activity within Australian adults. This project will deliver an in-depth analysis of the frequency, quantity, duration, and variety of physical activity among Australians. It will also provide information about what factors are promoting a healthy lifestyle and what barriers are preventing adults from achieving the recommended weekly levels of physical activity. The research will address:

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in the United States, causing about 610,000 deaths yearly (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Cardiovascular disease is defined as a group of disorders damaging the heart and blood vessels, usually involving the blockage of vessels, which in turn harm the heart (WHO, 2015). A 2011 American Heart Association statement predicted that without intervention, 40% of United States adults will have at least one form of Cardiovascular disease by 2030. A large portion of these deaths by cardiovascular disease is due to the sedentary population. To better prevent cardiovascular disease, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Advisory Committee stated that adults should complete about 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity weekly (Barry, Blair, Church, Hooker, Sui, Warren, 2010). Research has shown that meeting these recommendations is linked with lower cardiovascular disease risk, as well as reduced risk of mortality. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that only about 20.3% of Americans meet these guidelines. These statistics show that the majority of the United States population does not get nearly the amount of physical activity they need. However, even though many people are not doing the recommended amount of physical activity, this may not mean that they are living a sedentary life. Living a sedentary lifestyle is

Susan Scutti in the article “Yes, Sitting Too Long Can Kill You, Even If You Exercise” claims that sitting can reduce one’s lifespan. Scutti supports her claim by presenting a data that shows that people who spend more time on a chair, died much earlier than people who were more active. The author’s purpose is to raise awareness that sedentary behavior has a negative impact on health. The author writes in an formal tone for the general

The data collected from a survey performed by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System regarding time, frequency and proportion of exercise reports that 58.1% of the interviewees were considered physically inactive; 29.8 % concluded with not having time for exercising. Besides, the statistics showed that there was not much difference between genders as it was almost the same percentage of passive lifestyle; however, there were differences when considering race and age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2010).

Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases are a growing problem around the world today. Not only do diseases such as diabetes and heart disease affect individuals and their lifestyles, they also affect the economy, politics, education and the professional work environment. 20-26% of individuals in the United States live with heart disease, and obesity and high blood pressure compose the greatest factors for developing this disease [20]. Studies have shown a direct correlation between the amount of sedentary time and cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk, regardless of baseline measurements [20]. Thus, increase in physical activity will decrease cardiometabolic risk factors [8]. Several studies indicate a positive correlation between physical activity and decreased cardiometabolic risk markers [2,4,11,16]. However, we now know that an individual who is getting the recommended physical activity per day can still have a large amount of sedentary time.

The World Health Organization (2018) estimates that 1 in 4 adults are putting themselves at risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia, depression and premature death. Tremblay et al. (2017) defines sedentary behaviour as activities with a very low energy expenditure such as sitting, sleeping and watching TV.

The stigma of the sedentary lifestyle is not limited to working. Many sedentary habits develop at ones home. Watching television and playing on the computer have proven to be one of the least engaging metabolic activities. Riding, driving and reading have proven to have higher metabolic rates then watching television or playing a game on the computer. Working and watching television consumes many American’s time (Medical Center). Based on a study done in 2012 the average American under the age of two watches approximately thirty-four hours of live television a week and three to six hours watching taped programs a week (Hinckley). In the end, a small fraction of the day is left to burn calories and raise ones metabolic rate (Medical Center).

This data shows that both males and females are spending too much time being sedentary. This is a big issue and has been seen to cause increased rates of obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease later in life.

Diseases and conditions associated with physical inactivity include heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and obesity, among others (Global Health Risks, 2009). Researchers have reported that, after excluding pregnant individuals and

New evidence today suggest that the more hours that you sit, the greater likelihood of dying an earlier death regardless of how much you exercise, or how lean you are ( Masters, 2010). The fact is that millions of Americans think they are being healthy by working out at the gym on a daily basis. These people do not realize that the exercise they are doing in the gym is not able to counteract the effects of the “desk job.” These same people think they are living an active life by working out on almost a daily basis. The truth is that this is considered to be living an inactive lifestyle. The red flag is now raised. These same people that work out at the gym daily are now grouped into the dreaded sedentary lifestyle. Being a member of this group increases your chances of diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease. On top of all this, it increases the chances of obesity. Obesity notably increases when a person is living a sedentary lifestyle.

Increases in this type of behaviour has been associated with significant increases in the risk of developing chronic diseases with an increase of 112% relative risk of diabetes being reported by Wilmot et al (2012). A significant amount of research is now being conducted into the effect that prolonged sitting, as a sedentary behaviour, has on the risk of type-2 diabetes. The main effect of sitting idle for a prolonged amount of time is that the muscles required for upright movement such as the legs, back and truck, become redundant. The result of this is that we consequently decrease the energy expended as result of intermittent muscular contractions throughout the waking day (Hamilton et al 2007). One particular study found that an increase in 1 hour of television watching in which the participants would be seated, there was a 26% increase in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in women (Dunstan et al 2005). Bed rest studies have also been used to assess the affects of prolonged inactivity in relation to insulin action and glucose

We all must understand that sitting for 8 hours a day can easily put us in the category of sedentary.

Evidence shows that advance health conditions, are due to physical inactivity, their primary focus is on prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) linked to physical inactivity, particularly cancers, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (WHO, 2012). Physical inactivity is a primary cause of most chronic diseases. Chronic diseases are major killers in the modern era. Historical evidence showing physical inactivity is detrimental to health and normal organ functional capacities (WHO, 2012).

shift towards desk-based occupations, sedentarity is widespread in today’s culture and has become a social norm in Canada. In 2012 to 2013, 31% of children and 62% of adults were overweight or obese [1]. Obesity is associated with sedentarity [2], and almost three-quarters of children spend their recreational time engaged in sedentary activities that involve reading or screen time (e.g., watching TV and playing video games) [3]. In fact, the number of hours of screen time is associated with being overweight or obese in children and adolescents [2]. Childhood sedentarity is particularly concerning in Canada, with Canada lacking in overall child and youth physical activity levels in comparison to 14 other countries [4]. The federal

A study from the Netherlands suggests, "that even an extra 40 minutes of couch potato behavior will dramatically increase your risk of getting type 2 diabetes." Scientist gather 2,497 participants who sat for at least nine hours and strapped motion monitors to participants' thighs for eight days and testing the glucose levels in their blood.