PHYSICAL INACTIVITY
Physical Inactivity is the percentage of adults aged 20 and over reporting no leisure-time physical activity. Examples of physical activities provided include running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking for exercise.
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Decreased physical activity has been related to several disease conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, stroke, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality, independent of obesity. Inactivity causes 11% of premature mortality in the United States, and caused more than 5.3 million of the 57 million deaths that occurred worldwide in 2008.[52] In addition, physical inactivity at the county level is related to health care expenditures for circulatory system diseases.[53] Physical activity improves sleep, cognitive ability, and bone and musculoskeletal health, as well as reduces risks of dementia.[54] Physical inactivity is not only associated with individual behavior but also community conditions such as expenditures on recreational activities, access to infrastructure, and poverty.[38, 55]
Community Focus Areas:
- Increasing access to local outdoor recreation by finding funding resources and expansion opportunities for the existing community wide bike path/walking trail master plan, greenway development plan, and paddle (water) trail plan
- Installing and promoting the community’s use of walking tracks at all local schools
- Establishing exercise locations and educational programs to provide appropriate equipment and training in underserved communities
- Supporting and connecting the grants awarded to numerous community efforts to increase access and participation in health-promoting physical activity
Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
www.countyhealthrankings.org
Note: Data is measured annually.
Date of Report Vs. Date of Data
Robert Wood Johnson annual reports reflect data from previous year(s) for certain measures. See chart below.