Italians fail in physical activity: 28% are sedentary (50% in Campania)

Of Italians who fail in physical activity, 28% are sedentary, a percentage that rises to 50% in Campania. But that’s not enough: 25% of those who don’t do any activity are convinced that they do it in sufficient quantities. Alarming data – those released by the Higher Institute of Health – if we consider that physical inactivity is directly correlated to many pathologies, avoidable with healthy lifestyles.

Some more data: physically active adults in Italy between 18 and 69 are 48%, just under one in two. Those who are only partially sedentary are 24%, while those who are sedentary are 28%. Sedentary lifestyle increases with age: it stands at around 24% between 18 and 34 years of age, then there is an increase that reaches 33% between 50 and 69 years of age. It is more frequent in women and people with a more disadvantaged socioeconomic status and occurs more in the southern regions, an example being Campania, where a peak of 50% is recorded. This is the picture relating to the two-year period 2022-2023 traced by the Passi and Passi d’Argento surveillance of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità. The indications on which this is based are the WHO criteria, which include 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity or 75 of intense activity.

Sedentary lifestyle grows over time in the South, stable in the North

Since 2021, the percentage of sedentary people has been increasing, more evidently in the southern regions and less in those of the centre. In the North, however, it seems to be stationary. But not only do we move little. There is also a problem of perception: in fact, the subjectively perceived activity does not always correspond to the one actually carried out. One in 3 adults among the partially active, and almost 1 in 4 among the sedentary, perceive their commitment as sufficient.

The lack of attention of health workers

The attention of health workers to the problem of low levels of physical activity appears to be too little, even among people who are overweight or have chronic pathologies. Out of 10 interviewees, 3 report having received advice from a doctor or a healthcare professional to do regular physical activity. Among overweight people this slightly higher share reaches 37%, while among those with chronic pathologies it is 45%.

Almost 40% of over 65s reach the levels of physical activity recommended by the WHO, 22% carry out some form of physical activity without reaching the recommended levels and can therefore be defined as “partially active”, while 38% are completely sedentary.

Walking outside the home is the most practiced leisure activity among those over 65. Well over half of those interviewed (62%) reported having taken a walk (or bike) in the week preceding the interview. Only a smaller share of interviewees declared that they practiced structured physical activity, mostly light (18%), such as gentle gymnastics; less than engaging in moderate physical activity (6%) such as dancing or hunting, or heavy physical activity (4%) such as swimming, running, or aerobic or athletic activity.

Cleaning and gardening

Domestic activities are practiced by most of the interviewees. Taking care of the home (from cleaning to heavier tasks) remains the prerogative of women (98% do light domestic tasks, 62% also do heavy tasks compared to 61% and 36% respectively among men); Even gardening and caring for another person are female prerogatives, while small repairs or taking care of the vegetable garden are more frequent among men. Among the activities investigated there is also work, considered physical activity if it is of a dynamic type: 9% of the over 65s declared that they carry out a job (12% among men and 6% among women) and among these less than half ( 5% of men and 2% of women) reported doing one during which they have to walk or which requires physical effort.

The share of sedentary people increases with age (reaches 61% after the age of 85), is higher among women (41% compared to 37% of men), among those who have economic difficulties or a low level of education and it is higher among those who live alone (43% versus 38%). Regional variability is large, with a higher proportion on average in the southern regions. After an increase in the share of sedentary people in the pandemic period, the values ​​returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2023.

v