Why getting active matters
A brief overview of the impacts of physical activity and sedentary behaviour on health. For more information see our resources section.
"There is no point in life where doing more exercise does not improve health in multiple ways.”
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer, 2020
Sedentary behaviour - a risk factor in itself
Sedentary behaviour and inactivity are linked – but the science, and the national guidelines, encourage us to think about them as separate and additive risk factors. Breaking up long periods of sitting down is particularly relevant for those of us who work long hours in an office, over and above getting your daily ‘dose’ of physical activity, hence its presence in the Active Practice Charter.
Many working adults in the UK spend 9 hours or more sitting down every day. Children and retired people from lower socioeconomic groups are more likely to be sedentary compared to their better off counterparts, as well as those who already have a chronic condition. As primary care practitioners, looking out for this prevalent risk factor and providing advice and aspiration – particularly in these groups – could have powerful consequences.