Climate change could drive millions into physical inactivity by 2050: Lancet study
The study estimates up to 700,000 additional premature deaths each year and around USD 3.68 billion in productivity losses worldwide. Higher heat levels make it harder and sometimes unsafe to exercise, especially in tropical regions.
Climate change could drive millions into physical inactivity by 2050: Lancet study
The study estimates up to 700,000 additional premature deaths each year and around USD 3.68 billion in productivity losses worldwide. Higher heat levels make it harder and sometimes unsafe to exercise, especially in tropical regions.
Rising temperatures due to climate change could push millions of people into physical inactivity by 2050, leading to serious health and economic impacts, according to a study published in The Lancet Global Health.
Reported by The Hindu, researchers, including those from Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, say rising temperatures could weaken the World Health Organization target of reducing physical inactivity by 15 percent by 2030.
Based on data from 156 countries, the study found that each extra month with average temperatures above 27.8°C could increase inactivity by about 1.5 percentage points globally, and 1.85 points in low and middle income countries.
In India, physical inactivity linked deaths could reach 10.62 per 100,000 people by 2050 under different future scenarios.
Experts warn that growing heat may drive more sedentary lifestyles, raising the risk of heart disease and other illnesses. They suggest solutions such as heat aware fitness guidelines, shaded public spaces, cooled exercise facilities, and stronger workplace heat safety rules.
