Sedentary Lifestyle in the UK 1

CURRENT CONCERNS REGARDING SEDENTARY BEHAVIOUR IN THE ADULT UK

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 Sedentary Lifestyle in the UK 2

Introduction

The most sedentary age group in the U.K. and even on a global perspective have in most
cases been the older adults among any population, and with any form of sedentary behavior
comes health-related consequences that are often negative (Young, Hivert and Alhassan, 2016,
264). Sedentary behavior is an energy expenditure that has scientifically been equated to ⩽1.5
body metabolism usually undertaken while reclining or sitting position during active hours of the
day (Balboa-Castillo et al., 201, 103). This distinguishes it from the usual light physical activities
that can also be undertaken in sitting positions. Still, energy expenditure has to be involved to
some extent that is often between 1.6 and 2.9 metabolic equivalents such as arm exercises,
cooking, and slow walking (Buman et al., 2010, 12). It's important to note that sedentary
behavior needs to be distinct from any passive or active standing behaviors, and its thus not a
mere absence of vigorous physical activities but can be reduced through the increase of sitting
and standing transitions (Chau et al., 2013). Within the U.K. population, there have been
increasing concerns about the impacts that a sedentary lifestyle has had on the health of its adult
population. Some research establishes a link between sedentary and increased obesity and blood
pressure issues among the adult population (Lakerveld, Loyen, and Schotman, 2017, 77-79).

Strong evidence exists which shows that sedentary life serves as the leading risk factor for
diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart diseases among the elderly in the U.K. (León-Muñoz et al.,
2013, 1502). However, some research has shown that the risks associated with a sedentary
lifestyle in some cases are independent of the physical exercises that an older adult engages in
(Wilmot et al., 2012, 2896-2898). However, this should not in any way rule out the relevance of
engaging in physical activities as a form of reducing the effects of leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Looking at the research findings by a study carried out on a selected adult population in the U.K.
by (Roda, Charreire, and Feuillet, 2016, 56), it was evident that 70% of the study population
reported improvements in their general health after being put on mandatory 30 minutes physical
exercises after extended years of leading a sedentary lifestyle. The least physically active age
group in the U.K. is the older adults. Most of the inactive time is spent in social isolation, which
has had mental effects on these groups of the population (Harvey, Chastin, and Skelton, 2015,
6645).
 Sedentary Lifestyle in the UK 3

Apart from the health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle, a link has also been
created between this living with unsuccessful aging, which is psychological, i.e., loss of
cognitive functioning and depression, physical, i.e., functional impairment and social, i.e., loss of
active sense of belonging and loneliness (Dogra and Stathokostas, 2012, 98-99). Most f the
interventions being sought are meant to reduce sedentary behaviors among the age, focusing on
interventions that aim to increase moderate to vigorous physical activities (Prince, Reed, and
McFetridge, 2017). Most of the adults within the U.K. placed a low value on the importance of
engaging in physical activities at their age and perceived day-to-day activities as sufficient to
keep fit (Chau et al., 2013). Most inactive older adults also consider physical activities to be
some of the most incompatible things about their self-perception as senior members of society.
They thus do not see the usefulness of physical activities during their later stages in life (Roda,
Charreire, and Feuillet, 2016).

The biopsychosocial model and physical fitness among the elderly

Looking at the sedentary lifestyle among the elderly within the U.K. population,
statistically, it shown that the more people age, the more they became physically inactive, i.e.,
from a study carried out by (Dogra and Stathokostas, 2012, 103), 15% of the population aged
between 16 to 24 years reported to be physically inactive, i.e., engaged in less than 30 minutes of
physical activities per day while the percentage rose to 29% of those aged between 65 -74 years.
The highest physical inactivity has been reported among people aged 75 and above (Matthews et
al., 2012, 437). Therefore, looking at such statistics, sedentary lifestyle among the elderly in the
U.K. needs to be given much attention to encourage this group of the population to try and
engage in physical activities to avoid or instead cut down on the medical health complications as
well as physical and psychological impacts associated with leading a docile lifestyle (León-
Muñoz et al., 2013, 1503-1506).

About the biopsychosocial model, health and illness behaviors are taken to be products of
biological characteristics, i.e., genes, social conditions, i.e., family, social support and cultural
influences, and behavioral factors, i.e., health beliefs, lifestyle, and stress (Campbell et al., 2013).
Therefore, psychological and emotional aspects of illness and health should not be taken for
granted when assessing the impacts of sedentary lifestyles in any population. Looking at the old
adults, this group of the population suffers from mental and health-related issues due to many
 Sedentary Lifestyle in the UK 4

years of living under either lifestyle stresses or battling chronic illnesses (Banks et al., 2011).
Therefore, leading a sedentary lifestyle contributes to adult psychological and medical problems
and increases the chances of developing other medical complications along the way. The
biopsychosocial model's primary goals of health psychology are to understand both contextual
and behavioral factors for illness and health, which plays a crucial role in creating a link between
increased sedentary lifestyle and age (Rai et al., 2019, 2593). Through this model, critical
analysis of health issues associated with a sedentary lifestyle can be achieved. For the adults to
participate in physical activities, several variables play a role and especially within the U.K.
population, i.e., demographics such as marital status, gender, and education for instance (Harvey
and Chastin, 2013, 132), noted that compared to men, physical activity among women was lower
in the U.K.

Self-esteem and physical fitness have some relationship with the BMI of adults. An
increase in physical activities influences their self-esteem both directly and indirectly. In this
case, BMI and high self-esteem motivate the elderly to engage in exercises. Low self-esteem is
key to increasing the prevalence of mental and physical health problems like depression since
many individuals are later involved in drug and substance abuse. BMI refers to an estimate of the
fat constituents and the possible effects of their increase in the human body. A high BMI causes
certain infections like cancer, hypertension, and gallstones. The majority of the older people have
a high BMI, which is associated with the body overweight effects. In this case, obesity will lead
to low self-esteem as compared to those with average bodies. Low self-esteem leads to feelings
of shame and lack of confidence in themselves (Campbell et al., 2013, 876). Therefore, they
always lack the motivation to engage in physical activities due to fear of being laughed back at
or facing ridicule.

Moreover, the less educated adults were not engaged in physical activities because of a
wide range of reasons. First of all, they lacked interest and did not necessarily see the need for
engaging in physical activities at their age. The household domain is a crucial factor contributing
to their discouragement in joining their counterparts in exercising sessions. For example, the
majority of the older people engaged in gardening as a vital household activity. Among the
participants, gardening is the primary intrinsic factor hindering their sedentary lifestyles. For
example, some older adults alluded that they adore gardening, and the activity takes their spare
 Sedentary Lifestyle in the UK 5

time to engage in physical exercises. In their gardens, they dig and ensure that the land is clean to
plan and cut the grasses every week. The less illiterate and impoverished individuals are less
physically active. That is attributed to the subsequent costs related to money and time required
for them to visit gyms and fields where exercises are carried out under instructors' leadership.
Additionally, the less educated stay in rough areas without the recreational centers and facilities
because the regions consist of low-income earners who contribute low tax levies to develop
social amenities. In such places, crime rates are also high, hindering their involvement in
physical exercises (Stamatakis, Coombs & Rowlands, 2014, 16-20). Therefore, education levels,
specific residential areas, and the level of income impact the sedentary behavior of adult
individuals in the United Kingdom.

Regarding marriage, engagement of the elderly in physical activities among the U.K.
population was taken to be a family affair, and an active spouse would, in most cases, influence
their partner to take part in physical activities (Stamatakis, Coombs and Rowlands, 2014).
Choices made by older persons to engage in physical activities to cut down on sedentary lifestyle
are also influenced by the social and moral support they get from friends and family members,
easy access to exercising facilities or recreational facilities as well as how much is an individual
determined or motivated and with self-efficacy to make it their responsibility to be physically
active (Prince, Reed, and McFetridge, 2017, 915). With the adult population within the U.K., it's
been noted that participation in group activities has for a long time served as the most effective
forms of social support that have helped get most of this population into continuous and active
engagement in physical exercises. This has, in return, see the U.K. government, with support
from social amenities such as schools and hospitals, put up recreational centers open to the
public for more effortless engagement in physical exercises (Roda, Charreire & Feuillet, 2016,
13). Most of the high active groups have reported immense support from friends and the general
society compared to family members. Therefore, it should be essential to note that social support
is one of the most influential and less expensive approaches to ensuring the older population
engages more in physical activities to cut down on the adverse side effects of a sedentary
lifestyle.

Current concerns regarding sedentary lifestyle among the adult in the U.K
 Sedentary Lifestyle in the UK 6

Despite being linked to several chronic health conditions, a sedentary lifestyle seems to be
increasing and widespread among the elderly in the UK (Prince, Reed, and McFetridge, 2017).
It's noted that many people that are leading a sedentary lifestyle fall below the needs of the
national physical activity guidelines, which recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-
intense physical activity every week. Most of the dangers of leading sedentary lifestyles have
been linked to the development of medical conditions, many of which are life-threatening. The
most common ones are obesity, cancer, type 2 diabetes, early death, and cardiovascular diseases
(Harvey, Chastin, and Skelton, 2015, 471). The inability of the body to control blood sugar
levels, break down fats and regulate blood pressure has in most cases been caused by extended
periods of inactivity. A study by (Buman et al., 2010), which analyzed research from various
scientists done for 15 years, showed a significant link between increased death and sedentary
lifestyles among the adult population and especially in developed countries such as the U.K.
Such findings highlight the importance of reducing the amount of time spent being sedentary and
bringing out the importance of leading an active lifestyle, especially with the adult population.

A negative impact on the mental wellbeing of the adult population has also been
associated with sedentary lifestyles. (Chau et al., 2013), notes that a combination of
psychological and physical impact on anyone's health makes a sedentary lifestyle more
problematic. Higher risks of developing mental disorders have been associated with the lack of
physical activity among the elderly in society, hence striking a balance between the two.
Increased risk of depression and anxiety was reported by (Lakerveld, Loyen, and Schotman,
2017, 80-82) among the elderly that led a sedentary lifestyle. Such an observation is inevitable
since most of the older adults in the U.K. are left on their own and seem to have or be engaged in
very few social lifestyle-related activities. If not handled well with engagement in physical and
other social activities, such an environment may lead to depression setting in and eventual death
in severe cases (Van Uffelen et al., 2011, 7-9).

According to the National Library of Medicine (20121), arthritis is, and any other
problems associated with hip infections are a crucial barrier to adults when it comes to
participating in physical exercises. Many older people believe that such activities would even
make their situations worse due to frequent pains. The fact that the number of physically inactive
adults and have both arthritis and diabetes is a critical indicator that the former deprives
 Sedentary Lifestyle in the UK 7

individuals of exercising. Walking, jogging, swimming, and even running are consistently
eroded when older people are experiencing stiff and painful joints. However, exercising is very
crucial in easing the pain and reducing the threats posed by arthritis. For example, physical
exercise will always maintain muscle and bone strength while also managing an individual's
weight. Even though the actions aggravate the pain, physical activities might make the situations
worsen.

Despite an increased concern about the sedentary lifestyle and its impact on the old
population within the U.K., it's important to note that there is always a solution to every problem
(Balboa-Castillo et al., 2011, 113). Therefore instead of sitting back and worrying about the
increasing trend, the U.K. government and the involved parties such as family members and the
general society at large should encourage the elderly to engage in more active lifestyles, which
has been proven by research (de Rezende, Rodrigues Lopes, and Rey-López, 2014), that it's the
most effective approach to reduce the chances of mental health disorder, chronic health
conditions and unplanned for deaths associated with leading a sedentary lifestyle(Tremblay,
Aubert and Barnes, 2017, 75). For instance, research has shown that physical activities can
reduce the risks associated with the development of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases,
obesity, and early deaths, which are medical conditions prone to affect the old population,
especially in the U.K. (Dogra and Stathokostas, 2012, 99-102). Most mental health conditions
among the elderly have been improved through exercises and not pharmacological medication.
Those people who engaged in activities reported fewer mental health conditions, unlike those
that did not (Chomistek, Manson, and Stefanick, 2013, 120). In as much as physical activity is
essential, the adult population within the U.K. need to reduce the amount of time spent being
sedentary and owing to their age; they can reduce this by standing more than sitting, walking,
and spending more time doing chores around the house (Wilmot et al., 2012, 56). In terms of
dealing with arthritis among the elderly, medical providers and other public health departments
are supposed to address the issue through the application of both behavioral models and
evidence-based studies to ensure that the victims attend their various training programs. There
are other essential tips for the people living with arthritis to respond to their joints to be
protected, such as biking, application of heat, and ice in the areas that swell, especially after
engaging in exercises.
 Sedentary Lifestyle in the UK 8

Conclusion

A sedentary lifestyle has been linked to severe health conditions by research, and thus,
therefore, the current concern regarding sedentary lifestyle in the U.K. is justified. Most of the
adults in the U.K. are the primary victims of the side effects of this kind of lifestyle. Sufficient
and regular physical exercises are the most recommended health promotion strategies for
managing the chronic illnesses associated with prolonged cases of leading a sedentary lifestyle
among the elderly in the U.K. A majority of this population does not meet the minimum physical
activity guidelines, putting themselves at risk of developing health issues by spending much of
their time being sedentary. The adult population can reduce the risks associated with a sedentary
lifestyle within the U.K., purposing to increase the amount of physical activity they engage in.
there is also the need to create more varieties of social support or be enhanced using social
networks and policy interventions to encourage and promote physical activities among the
elderly. This is because it's evident that most of these adults lack the self-drive and motivation to
engage in physical activities and thus end up being sedentary. Still, with the right social support
system, they are seen loving and embracing social activities. In most cases, a sedentary lifestyle
is inevitable due to the underlying medical complications. Still, the elderly should engage in at
least less vigorous physical activities to ensure they are leading a healthy lifestyle.
 Sedentary Lifestyle in the UK 9

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