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People who do not do adequate physical activity have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, colon and breast cancers, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. Being physically active improves mental and musculoskeletal health and reduces other risk factors such as overweight, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. Other outcomes related to physical inactivity are falls, osteo-arthritis, lower back pain, obesity, depression, anxiety, stress, prostate and rectal cancer.
This study estimates the burden of disease attributable to physical inactivity in persons 15 years or older, by age group and sex, South Africa in 2000 using the comparative risk assessment methodology developed by the WHO. View the results. (pdf format, 319 kb)
Physical inactivity is one of the cluster of risk factors that contribute to chronic diseases. Read more about research and policy of the chronic diseases of lifestyle in South Africa, the global burden and the newly formed 3FOUR50 Health Alliance to reduce the burden of these diseases. |
