A recent study warns that worsening climate change could lead to a decline in physical activity and, consequently, around 500,000 premature deaths each year.
According to a study published in 'The Lancet Global Health', climate change is significantly reducing physical activity levels among people, which in turn is expected to exacerbate health issues, leading to approximately 500,000 premature deaths annually. The research, led by Professor Cristian García-Witulski from the Catholic University of Argentina, analyzed data from 3,588 adults aged 18 and over across 156 countries between 2000 and 2022. It found that for every additional month where average temperatures surpassed 27.8 degrees Celsius, global levels of physical inactivity increased by an average of 1.44 percentage points, with a greater rate of 1.85 percentage points in middle- and low-income countries.
The study revealed that 25.7% of participants failed to meet the World Health Organization's recommendations for physical activity, which stipulate a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise weekly. The data shows that as heatwaves become more severe, the proportion of sedentary individuals rises significantly. In areas such as Central America, the Caribbean, Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia, this increase exceeds 4 percentage points.
Additionally, the implications of decreased physical activity due to extreme heat are profound. Not only will this lead to increased risks of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and mental health issues, but it is also projected to cause a loss of productivity estimated between $2.4 billion to $3.68 billion annually by 2050. Professor García-Witulski emphasizes the importance of treating the increase in physical activity not as a personal choice but as a crucial element in addressing the climate crisis, advocating for national action to mitigate health declines and economic losses resulting from climate change.
