Physical inactivity could be considered a polite way of saying someone is 'sitting around too much.' There was a lot of talk about that subject Wedneday at the Physical Activity Across the Lifespan Conference in Lexington.
Many of the workshops at the day-long event focused on exercise. The keynote address came from Duke Professor of Medicine, Bill Kraus. "So the lack of physical activity is a disease because it leads to disease," said Kraus. "And then the question is, how much exercise do you have to do to prevent that worsening over time?"
Kraus says inactivity is a preventable disease. He says relatively little attention is paid to public service announcements regarding fitness. "They make us feel better in health care, but I don't think they do a thing," he said. "We have to change people's environment and we have to take their attitude about actually getting some movement in their lives."
Kraus says walking is the recommended movement for many people, particularly those dealing with diabetes. He says one conference participant told him his speech changed her life. "She says I am no longer gonna sit at my desk all day. I'm not gonna work over hours. I'm gonna go home and I'm gonna walk. I don't care who gets mad about it, but that's what I'm gonna do. I mean, that's the kind of attitude change you've got to have," explained Kraus.
Kraus says the attention given to convenience in American society is a detriment to a healthy lifestyle. He says the town he lives in has no sidewalks and many of the businesses have drive-through, including pharmacies.?
