Working with Inactive People (M/618/6440)
Section 1: Inactivity – a global issue Introduction More than a quarter of the world’s adult population (1.4 billion adults) are insufficiently active. Worldwide, around 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men do not do enough physical activity to stay healthy (WHO, 2020). In England 1 in 4 people do less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week, according to survey results from Sport England, (2020). As an exercise instructor, it is important to understand individuals and groups that are likely to be inactive and some of the key barriers to participation in physical activity. WHO, (2020) define physical activity as “Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Physical activity refers to all movement including during leisure time, for transport to get to and from places, or as part of a person’s work. Both moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity improve health”.
Benefits of physical activity to the individual Health benefits The benefits of physical activity such as improved sleep, reduced stress, improved sense of purpose and quality of life, as well as improved posture and weight management, are all widely acknowledged and well evidenced. Numerous studies show a significant positive relationship between physical activity and reduced risk of developing a major disease such as coronary heart disease and the reduced risk of premature death. Physical activity is now recognised as an independent factor of health, regardless of other risk factors. Regular physical activity can help to prevent and manage over 20 chronic conditions and diseases. Many of these conditions and diseases are on the rise and affecting people at an earlier age; 1 in 3 of the working age population have at least 1 long term condition and 1 in 7 have more than one. More information can be found here: tinyurl.com/24davjnd.
Figure 1: Benefits of Exercise image taken from Health matters: getting every adult active every day - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Working with Inactive People | Manual | Version 1 © YMCA Awards 2021
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