Alexandre Dana and Victor Fersing have published La chaise tue (The Chair Kills), a book that examines the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle on physical and mental health. The WHO identifies physical inactivity as the fourth leading cause of death worldwide and the leading preventable cause of death. It is thought to be involved in 80% of type 2 diabetes cases.
From Scarcity to Immobile Abundance
While hunter-gatherers once traveled up to 15 kilometers a day, we now spend approximately eight hours sitting. The authors analyze this shift as the transition from an environment of scarcity, where one had to move to obtain resources, to an environment of abundance where everything comes to us. Smartphones now concentrate so many functions that they create a parallel world competing with the real world.
Impacts on Mental and Cognitive Health
A sedentary lifestyle limits the production of endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, reduces exposure to natural light, and promotes social isolation. It is also associated with cognitive decline. According to Dr. Olivier de Ladoucette, physical activity is the best remedy against Alzheimer's, regardless of its stage.
The Paradox of the Sedentary Athlete
People who engage in several sports sessions per week but remain seated for eight hours a day have higher cholesterol and sugar levels than people who are active all day without practicing sports. France Stratégie estimates the cost of insufficient physical activity at 140 billion euros per year.
To go further, the full article explores avenues for change in schools and businesses.
Source: Sedentary lifestyles kill... and your weekly sports session won't do much
This summary aims to be transparent and neutral. Disconnecto acts here as an observer of the digital landscape, without taking a position. We invite you to consult the original source for a complete reading.
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