Physical inactivity in the United States has become a "crisis within a crisis," experts say.
A new study published in the American Journal of Medicine investigated the link between social vulnerability and physical activity and found that they are strongly associated.
"The findings of the current investigation indicate a crisis within a crisis with respect to a physical inactivity pandemic in the US," Ross Arena of the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Illinois Chicago's College of Applied Science and founder of the Healthy Living for Pandemic Event Protection (HL – PIVOT) Network, Chicago, said in a press release.
"On a national level, physical activity is unacceptably low and has not appreciably improved over the past decade while high levels of social vulnerability and physical inactivity are concentrated in specific geographic regions."
Previous research has found that an active lifestyle not only prolongs your life but greatly benefits your overall health, meaning that a lack of physical activity is a genuine concern.
Stock photo of a man lounging and watching television. Scientists have found that physical activity is unacceptably low in the U.S. Stock photo of a man lounging and watching television. Scientists have found that physical activity is unacceptably low in the U.S. lukas_zb/GettyThe group of U.S. researchers hypothesizes that the COVID-19 pandemic may have reduced the physical activity levels of Americans due to self-isolation and stay-at-home orders.
The link between different cultural regions in the U.S. can be attributed to various factors, such as "cultural and geographic overlay, first settler effects, and the competing migration patterns of settler-colonizers in the 17th to 19th centuries."
"Our findings indicate social vulnerability and deep-seated characteristics of the United States' distinct regions are likely influencing physical activity decisions," Arena said. "These factors should be considered when designing physical activity health promotion campaigns and tailoring individual counseling. We need to figure out how to help specific communities and individuals make behavior changes. What tools do they need? What messaging will resonate with them? It's time to apply a precision medicine approach to healthy living medicine."
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The researchers were concerned that health messaging in the U.S. is falling short due to a "blanketed, all-or-none approach." They hope the study will signal where improvements need to be made among different communities.
Professionals previously hadn't explored the "true drivers" behind physical inactivity, co-investigator in the report Colin Woodard, who is director of the Nationhood Lab at Salve Regina University's Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy in Newport, said in a statement.
"Our goal with this study is to start getting to the bottom of what really motivates behavior and behavior change," Woodard said. "Data-driven intelligence and the work of historians and cultural geographers can help us find the best ways to encourage healthy lifestyle choices and ultimately make people healthier."
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