Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans don’t get enough exercise and a growing segment doesn’t get any exercise. Technology has allowed us to get by with less and less physical activity. Seventy-five years ago, it was very difficult to even make a living sitting down, but nowadays more and more people work sedentary jobs where they are seated a big portion of the day—and their bodies are rebelling for it!
- Diabetes is on the increase and predicted to affect 1 in 3 people by 2050.
- 70.7% percent of Americans aged 20 and older are overweight
- 37.9% of Americans aged 20 and older are obese
- Heart disease is still the leading cause of death in America. One in three deaths is related to heart disease
In 2017, US-NIH will launch a huge study to document in detail exactly what is happening in the body when exercising and prove that exercise is medicine.
The six-year, $170 million study will follow 3,000 sedentary people ranging from children to the elderly as they embark on an exercise program. A control group, who will remain sedentary, will also be tracked for comparison.