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High heat forces more people indoors and encourages stasis. | Credit: Illustration by Marian Femenias-Moratinos \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
Warming temperatures from climate change will likely lead to high levels of physical inactivity in the future, which could have significant public health implications. Heat leads to dehydration, exhaustion and overall inhospitable conditions. Regions with less air conditioning and cooling facilities will see the highest reduction in activity, but without intervention, more places will be affected.<\/p>\n
Running hot<\/p>\n
Rising temperatures<\/a> are \u201cprojected to increase the prevalence of physical inactivity, translating into additional premature deaths and productivity losses,\u201d said a study published in The Lancet Global Health<\/a>. The study analyzed data from 156 countries between 2000 and 2022 to create a model for future physical activity globally. The results showed that by 2050 \u201ceach additional month with an average temperature above 27.8\u00b0C (82\u00b0F) would increase physical inactivity by 1.5 percentage points globally and by 1.85 percentage points in low- and middle-income countries,\u201d said a release<\/a> about the study.<\/p>\n With this reduction in physical activity, there would be a \u201cpredicted 0.47-0.70 million additional premature deaths annually and $2.40-3.68 billion in productivity losses,\u201d said the release. The effects were mostly concentrated in low- and middle-income countries, and \u201csome hot spot countries closer to the equator show estimated increases in physical inactivity of more than 4 percentage points by 2050,\u201d said The Washington Post<\/a>. On the other hand, high-income countries had no discernible difference in physical activity levels because they tend to have better infrastructure to combat heat.<\/p>\n The inactivity levels would increase gradually. The \u201creal-world picture is usually not that people suddenly stop moving altogether,\u201d the study\u2019s lead author Christian Garcia-Witulski, a research fellow at the Lancet Countdown Latin America and a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, said to the Post. Instead, \u201cheat gradually erodes the safe, comfortable and practical opportunities people have to stay active in everyday life.\u201d Warmer temperatures would hinder activities such as \u201cjogging outdoors or walking to work, particularly in areas which don\u2019t have strong adaptive measures like proper shading or cool pavements,\u201d said Time<\/a>.<\/p>\n Internal conflict<\/p>\n Even without the climate pressure, \u201cnearly one third (31%) of the world\u2019s adult population, 1.8 billion adults, are physically inactive,\u201d said the World Health Organization<\/a> (WHO). Between 2010 and 2022, the number of people who \u201cdo not meet the global recommendations of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week\u201d increased by 5%. Climate change<\/a> is only expected to increase the number further. While lower-income countries face the brunt of the decrease in physical activity, \u201cthe pattern was not uniform,\u201d and \u201csome colder areas, such as North America, Argentina and South Africa, also report high rates of physical inactivity,\u201d said the study.<\/p>\n \u201cOutdoor laborers, street vendors and subsistence farmers cannot easily shift physical exertion to cooler hours,\u201d said the study. Also, \u201cwomen and adolescents often lack access to climate-controlled recreational spaces.\u201d Physical activity \u201ccontributes to prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes and reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety,\u201d said WHO.<\/p>\n \u201cThe link between physical inactivity and chronic diseases is so strong that any compromise to achieving regular exercise\u201d will \u201cpose broad public health risks,\u201d Jonathan Patz, the chair of health and the environment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said to the Post. Prioritizing reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as building cooling infrastructure<\/a> will be necessary for human health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. 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