Boost physical activity with the help of an active friend
An individual’s social interactions have been noted to influence their exercise trends: new research by Ensela Mema of Kean University in New Jersey, and colleagues, suggests that interacting with moderately active people could influence sedentary people to become more active.
Despite recommended guidelines on the type and amount of physical activity that will promote health benefits for different populations of Americans, the efforts made to meet these standards have been dismal.
However, according to newly-developed mathematical model by Mema and colleagues, certain social interactions were key to breaking out of the sedentary lifestyle. The model simulations showed that, in the absence of social interactions, populations experienced a long-term decrease in physically active individuals, just as sedentary behaviour began to dominate.
In contrast, when the simulations included social interactions between sedentary and moderately active people, sedentary populations became more physically active in the long term. Still, in simulations where moderately active people became more sedentary over time, overall physical activity trends plummeted.
While these simulations were not validated with real-world data, they could provide new insights to inform public health efforts, to boost community physical activity levels – including efforts to maintain physical fitness in the US military.
The research team outlines a number of recommendations for such efforts, such as social activities designed to boost interactions between sedentary and moderately active people.
“We have traditionally directed physical activity interventions by engaging sedentary individuals to become more active,” the team said. “Our model suggests that focusing on the moderately active population to sustain their activity and increasing their interactions with sedentary people could stimulate higher levels of overall physical activity in the population.”
Category: Wellness and Complementary Therapies
