Physical Inactivity from the Viewpoint of Evolutionary Medicine

Activity patterns of recent Homo sapiens are characterized by a sedentary life style and consequently by exercise deficiency. This lack of physical activity increases the risk of various chronic non-communicable diseases and reduces health related quality of life. From the perspective of evolutionar...

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Main Author: Sylvia Kirchengast
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2014-06-01
Series:Sports
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/2/2/34
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author Sylvia Kirchengast
author_facet Sylvia Kirchengast
author_sort Sylvia Kirchengast
collection DOAJ
description Activity patterns of recent Homo sapiens are characterized by a sedentary life style and consequently by exercise deficiency. This lack of physical activity increases the risk of various chronic non-communicable diseases and reduces health related quality of life. From the perspective of evolutionary medicine, the high rates of non-communicable disease among contemporary industrialized populations may be interpreted as the result of a mismatch between high rates of physical activity in the adaptively relevant (ARE) and sedentary recent life circumstances. Public transport, cars, elevators, supermarkets and internet shopping diminished daily physical activities dramatically, therefore recent Homo sapiens suffer from the consequences of a convenient life style, which is completely new in our evolution and history. The only possibility to increase physical activity and enhance health and well-being is through sporting activities during leisure time.
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spelling doaj.art-c2cc7166eb7a4e4d9dfe85b6b97023f82022-12-22T02:10:08ZengMDPI AGSports2075-46632014-06-0122345010.3390/sports2020034sports2020034Physical Inactivity from the Viewpoint of Evolutionary MedicineSylvia Kirchengast0Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 13, Vienna A-1090, AustriaActivity patterns of recent Homo sapiens are characterized by a sedentary life style and consequently by exercise deficiency. This lack of physical activity increases the risk of various chronic non-communicable diseases and reduces health related quality of life. From the perspective of evolutionary medicine, the high rates of non-communicable disease among contemporary industrialized populations may be interpreted as the result of a mismatch between high rates of physical activity in the adaptively relevant (ARE) and sedentary recent life circumstances. Public transport, cars, elevators, supermarkets and internet shopping diminished daily physical activities dramatically, therefore recent Homo sapiens suffer from the consequences of a convenient life style, which is completely new in our evolution and history. The only possibility to increase physical activity and enhance health and well-being is through sporting activities during leisure time.http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/2/2/34physical activitysportsevolutionary medicinesedentary life stylehealth risks
spellingShingle Sylvia Kirchengast
Physical Inactivity from the Viewpoint of Evolutionary Medicine
Sports
physical activity
sports
evolutionary medicine
sedentary life style
health risks
title Physical Inactivity from the Viewpoint of Evolutionary Medicine
title_full Physical Inactivity from the Viewpoint of Evolutionary Medicine
title_fullStr Physical Inactivity from the Viewpoint of Evolutionary Medicine
title_full_unstemmed Physical Inactivity from the Viewpoint of Evolutionary Medicine
title_short Physical Inactivity from the Viewpoint of Evolutionary Medicine
title_sort physical inactivity from the viewpoint of evolutionary medicine
topic physical activity
sports
evolutionary medicine
sedentary life style
health risks
url http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/2/2/34
work_keys_str_mv AT sylviakirchengast physicalinactivityfromtheviewpointofevolutionarymedicine