The study highlights that 57 percent of Indian women were insufficiently active, compared to 42 percent of men.
(Creative Commons)
Almost 50 percent of Indian adults had insufficient physical activities in 2022, a study published in The Lancet Global Health journal revealed.
Women (57 percent) outnumbered men (42 percent) in leading a sedentary lifestyle in the country.
The study said that the insufficient levels of physical activity in women in South Asia were, on average, 14 percent higher than those in men.
The South Asian region also ranked second in having adults with insufficient physical activities after the high-income Asia Pacific region, an international team of researchers, including those from the World Health Organisation (WHO), said.
Several reports have cited physical inactivity and unhealthy diets as the primary reasons for non-communicable lifestyle diseases.
“This study provides the exact percentage: Almost one in two adults does not engage in the recommended physical activity,” Hyderabad-based Neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar told South First.
“According to WHO guidelines, one should have at least 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity or 300 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. Yet, half of the Indian population falls below this standard,” he said.
Dr Kumar pointed out the common mindset of shunning physical activities.
“Children are not often encouraged to indulge in sports or working out. It is seen as a waste of time. This mindset, ingrained from childhood, makes it unlikely for them to become physically active as adults,” further stated.
“Another factor is the addiction to — or overuse of — mobile phones. While around five percent of people may be addicted, nearly half the population overuses the devices,” he referred to the current situation.
“This excessive screen time, especially during leisure, contributes significantly to physical inactivity. Many Indians spend hours on social media platforms, which diminishes the time available for exercise,” Dr Kumar said.
IMA Kerala’s public health advisory panel member Dr Rajeev Jayadevan told South First that many things that required walking or commuting in the past can now be achieved through such devices.
He also pointed out the shift like job profiles. Previous generations often had jobs requiring physical activity, like factory work, farming, or industry roles.
However, the IT boom of the 1990s and the subsequent rise in desk jobs led to prolonged periods of inactivity during work hours, often extending to eight to 12 hours a day.
The Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated the issue. The lockdowns confined people indoors, reducing their physical activity. Even those who were previously active struggled to maintain their fitness levels, and some who contracted coronavirus saw a decline in their endurance.
Experts attributed the increased physical inactivity in India to several socio-economic factors, such as rapid urbanisation, that altered lifestyle. It made more people confined to desk jobs and use motorised transport instead of walking or cycling.
“With greater economic progress, there is greater automation of activities of daily routine, which by default translates to lower physical activity. Unlike the past, with LPG connections being widespread now, there is less dependency on gathering firewood. Water supply has reached more homes, which makes the homemaker’s quality of life better than it used to be. The flipside is lower overall exercise unless dedicated time is set apart for it,” Dr Jayadevan said.
“Economic growth has led to improved incomes, but also to lifestyles that favour convenience over physical exertion. This includes greater reliance on vehicles and home delivery services,” Dr Kiran Madala, spokesperson of the Indian Medical Association in Telangana, told South First.
“Additionally, employment shifts from agriculture and manual labour to service and technology sectors have reduced physical activity levels,” he pointed out.
Dr Jayadevan said there are several reasons for decreasing physical activity, especially among women.
“Unlike the past, there is greater access to motorised transport – either by using two wheelers or cars to commute, or public transportation- all of which translates to smaller step counts over a 24 hour period. This comes with economic progress,” he said.
Additionally, women being traditionally in charge of the home, might not have sufficient protected time dedicated to exercise.
“Men, on the other hand, might get their exercise by virtue of their daily work routine, even if they did not invest in protected exercise time. Also, men tend to be less homebound than women, which is another reason for the discrepancy,” Dr Jayadevan said.
Dr Madala added that traditional gender roles often limited women’s participation in physical activities due to domestic responsibilities and societal expectations. The lack of safe, accessible public spaces for exercise, particularly for women, discouraged regular physical activity.
These reasons collectively contributed to the physical inactivity of many Indians, leading to health issues.
“Inadequate infrastructure for physical activity, such as parks, playgrounds, and sports facilities, and a lack of supportive policies and programmes that promote active lifestyles, too, contributed to the present state,” Dr Madala added.
Dr Kumar opined that urban infrastructure is not conducive to physical activities. Cities and metros have become concrete jungles with few green spaces, cycling tracks, or pedestrian pathways.
The risks associated with walking or cycling on roads, such as accidents and stray dog attacks, further deter people from being active. Additionally, rising pollution levels in cities, too, discourage outdoor exercise.
Cultural factors also play a role. If a majority of one’s peers remained inactive, individuals seemed less motivated to exercise. For instance, at airports, most people prefer escalators or elevators to over staircases.
“This behavior is mirrored in other settings like offices and shopping malls,” he said.
Dr Jayadevan pointed out that people who live in crowded parts of the country do not have access to open spaces to go for a walk safely. This reduces the amount of exercise in any community.
“Those who live in gated communities and luxurious apartment complexes can afford to do exercise without having to venture outside, which is not the case for most individuals who live in India,” he said.
He also said with increasing temperatures over the years, the weather is less amenable to exercise in many parts of the country, resulting in greater time spent indoors.
A little over 22 percent of Indian adults had insufficient physical activities in 2000, while in 2010, close to 34 percent of the adults lacked sufficient physical activities, the study found.
It projected that in 2030, 60 percent of adults would have insufficient physical activities if the current trends continued.
The researchers analysed data on physical activity reported by adults (aged at least 18 years) in population-based surveys to estimate the number of adults with insufficient physical activities in 197 countries and territories from 2000 to 2022.
They also found that around the world, older adults, both men and women, aged 60 years and above, were increasingly lacking sufficient physical activity.
Physical inactivity is known to heighten the risk of developing non-communicable diseases, including diabetes and heart disease.
Rising levels of inadequate physical activities, along with an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, are contributing to a spike in cases of these diseases and burdening healthcare systems around the world, the WHO said.
A 2023 Indian Council of Medical Research-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study, published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal, estimated that 101 million people in India were diabetic in 2021, and about 315 million suffered from hypertension the same year.
Further, 254 million were estimated to be obese and 185 million had high levels of Low-Density Lipoproteins — LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol, the study revealed.
Globally, the authors found that about a third of the adults (31.3 percent) did not have sufficient physical activities, defined as not performing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week.
This was up by five percent from 26.4 percent of the adults worldwide insufficiently engaging in physical activity in 2010, they found. If the 2010-2022 trends continued, the authors said that the global target of improving physical activity by 15 percent would not be met.
Dr Kumar pointed out that there was a significant increase in the rate of metabolic disorders. This included conditions like overweight, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, dementia, cancers, and the risk of knee osteoarthritis.
“Almost every disease is linked to physical activity. When physical activity is inadequate, the prevalence of these disorders rises, leading to higher mortality rates. Even if individuals survive, they often live with chronic illnesses and may experience disabilities later in their life,” he said.
“Reduced workforce productivity due to health-related absenteeism and decreased overall physical and mental well-being are significant consequences. Increased healthcare spending can divert resources from other critical areas of development,” Dr Madala added.
“Social and psychological effects are profound as well. Physical inactivity can contribute to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, leading to a reduced quality of life and impacting overall societal well-being,” he said.
Dr Madala added that habits formed by the current generation could be passed on, creating a cycle of inactivity and associated health problems in future generations. Children growing up in inactive households were more likely to adopt similar lifestyles.
Dr Kumar said that while working a desk job, people could take two or three-minute walking or standing breaks.
Coffee breaks could be taken while standing instead of sitting, and stand-up meetings could be promoted. Standing desks would be a good option as standing is better than sitting.
Even if someone doesn’t have 30 minutes at a stretch for exercise, they can take “exercise snacks,” such as walking for five minutes whenever possible. The total cumulative number of steps and physical activity throughout the day is what matters.
“Mobile and social media usage should be cut down by fixing specific times for them. This helps prevent time from slipping away unnoticed, providing at least half an hour to walk. Additionally, using staircases instead of elevators whenever possible can make a significant difference,” Dr Kumar said.
Experts opined that a conscious effort to incorporate physical activity into daily routines should be made. Some people might feel working out is unnecessary, considering their current better health.
However, regular exercise would go beyond maintaining the current health. It could prevent future illnesses.
“Starting to exercise before the onset of disease is crucial for prevention, as prevention is better than cure. Once a person develops a disease, many disorders become lifelong, requiring continuous medication,” Dr Kumar said.
“Investing 30 to 40 minutes in brisk walking four to five days a week, along with two to three sessions of strength training, can have substantial health benefits,” he explained.
“Strength training can be done at home using bodyweight exercises or resistance bands. Resources such as YouTube videos or sessions with a fitness trainer can guide starting a home exercise routine,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Madala called for policies addressing the barriers women and marginalised communities face in accessing opportunities for physical activity.
“Addressing these socio-economic factors and implementing supportive measures can help mitigate the rise in physical inactivity and its associated long-term implications in India,” he said.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
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