COMMENTARY: When sitting around becomes a national health crisis

Sitting: It may not sound high risk, but in copious amounts, it is. The consequences are far-reaching — for individuals and for the financial and military security of our nation.

Consider this: Getting enough physical activity could prevent one in 10 premature deaths, one in eight cases of breast cancer, one in 12 cases of diabetes and one in 15 cases of heart disease. Yet, 24 percent of U.S. adults and just one in five adolescents meet the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines for aerobic and muscle strengthening. That’s bad news for individuals and public health — and it’s equally alarming for national security as it threatens recruitment eligibility and active-duty readiness.

Sky-high rates of chronic diseases — obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and mental health disorders — are part of the picture. Catastrophic falls among older adults result from decreased hip mobility due to inactivity. Those who sit more have greater thinning of the medial temporal lobe, an area of the brain important for making memories.

Beyond the exorbitant pressure physical inactivity puts on health and military preparedness, it exacts an extreme financial toll. In fact, $117 billion of annual U.S. health-care costs are related to low physical activity. What’s more, employers and employees feel the strain — with insurance rates increasing along with the incidence of chronic disease. Plus, absenteeism and decreased performance due to those conditions decrease productivity and exacerbate economic harm — with each inactive employee costing employers $1,313 yearly than their more physically active peers.

The challenge lies in the reality that physical inactivity isn’t determined in a vacuum of personal choice: It’s a complex interplay of societal, environmental and individual factors. From no sidewalks to the proliferation of smartphones and screens, modern life is rife with obstacles to active lifestyles.

For marginalized communities, where chronic diseases can be disproportionate, the barriers often are more significant.

No doubt, reversing this downward spiral into physical inactivity will require collective effort across governments, communities, businesses and individuals. From taking a whole-of-government approach to instituting policies and structures that tilt the landscape in favor of physical activity to building environments that support movement to creating access and safety — we need many solutions.

Imagine if municipal planning prioritized pedestrian-friendly spaces, cycling lanes, and green areas; if education systems reinstated comprehensive physical activity programs; if employers genuinely supported healthy physical activity at work; if all health professionals were trained how to prescribe exercise and were reimbursed for related assessments, prescriptions and referrals; and if our military developed evidence-based physical activity programs to improve fitness so there would be fewer musculoskeletal injuries and chronic diseases — and improved mental health.

It’s time we all embraced a way of life that cements physical activity as the cornerstone of health, well-being and happiness because study after study shows that’s how important it is.

For culture change to take place, it must start at the top. Fortunately, we’re seeing some motion. Each May, for the past four years, more than 400 bipartisan members of Congress and their staff participated in the Congressional Physical Activity Challenge organized by the Physical Activity Alliance. A friendly competition, the initiative brings legislative awareness to this critically important national issue. Notably, it gives Capitol Hill an opening to lead by example on a health matter that affects every American.

So no more sitting around. The time for action is now. Together, let’s bring physical activity back into American life and secure a healthier, more resilient future.

Pam Watts is the executive director of NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation and president of the Physical Activity Alliance, a coalition dedicated to improving health and well-being through physical activity. She wrote this for InsideSources.com.