Few of us are moving as much as our bodies need to stay healthy.
It’s a big, costly problem. And it’s not just an American problem, either.
The World Health Organization has estimated that between 2020 and 2030, nearly 500 million people around the globe will develop heart disease, obesity, diabetes or other noncommunicable diseases — all because they don’t move enough.
The cost for a decade of idleness: $300 billion, or about $27 billion a year. And yep, that’s “billion” with a ‘b.’
The WHO’s [W-H-O] report looked at data from 194 countries. The organization suggests that governments need to move faster to create policies to help people boost activity levels, to ease the burden on health care systems.
The 2022 report noted that less than half of these countries have a national physical activity policy. And of those that do, fewer than 40% are operational.
The COVID-19 pandemic is to blame for some of those policies stalling.
WHO officials have also said there are significant gaps in global data that would allow better policy tracking, including in areas such as public spaces, exercise infrastructure and how much physical education is being taught in schools.
Policies can change behavior. Case in point: The famed “Keep America Beautiful” anti-littering campaign of the 1970s, which led to changes in public behavior and later, public interest in recycling.
The WHO’s report contends that such coordinated efforts are now needed from government — if we are to reduce suffering that could otherwise be avoided.
No need to wait for government, though. Remember, going for a walk is free. All you need is a pair of comfy shoes.