Fahad Hanna
Emily You
Mohamed El-Sherif- 1Public Health Program, Torrens University Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- 2Higher Education College, Chisholm Institute, Dandenong, VIC, Australia
- 3Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- 4Department of Bariatric Surgery, Hamad Medical Centre, Doha, Qatar
Editorial on the Research Topic
The impact of sedentary behavior and virtual lifestyle on physical and mental wellbeing: social distancing from healthy living
Introduction
In recent decades, technological advancements have transformed the way we live and work, offering convenience and comfort. However, this comfort comes at a cost to our health. These advancements result in increasingly prevalent sedentary lifestyle and inactivity which negatively impacts our wellbeing. The adverse effects of prolonged sitting and physical inactivity are not only limited to the present generation; they also pose a serious threat to our future, as they interfer in human natural growth and development (1). Therefore, it is vital to assess the profound impact of sedentary behavior on human health to better inform policies, and health interventions or programs to combat this growing crisis.
While the human body has basic need for movement and physical activity (2), our modern lifestyle has significantly reduced our daily activity levels, resulting in a multitude of health problems (3). Presta et al. in this Research Topic described how “engaging in regular physical activity (by playing sports and being as active as possible during the daily routine)” is evidently protective against “NCDs and NCDs-related risk factors, namely overweight and obesity, and hypertension.” The combination of obesity and sedentary behavior has also been negatively associated with longevity and life expectancy (4). Being active in general has also been linked to quality of life. A Chinese study published in this Research Topic found that the combination of good level of physical activity and reduced sedentary behavior has a positive impact on the quality of life among children and adolescents (Shi et al.).
Consequences of prolonged sedentary behavior relevant to occupational settings have also been assessed extensively. Musculoskeletal disorders, including back pain, neck pain, and joint problems, are widespread among individuals with sedentary jobs. Prolonged occupational sitting leads to excessive strain on the spine and muscles, ultimately causing postural imbalances and chronic pain (5). The above study added that the lack of physical activity and increased sedentary time may increase the risk of developing mental health issues. A study in this Research Topic found that screen-based sedentary behavior was associated with anxiety symptoms among college students (Huang et al.). Other studies showed clear links between sedentary behavior and increased levels of anxiety and depression, as well as decreased cognitive function (6). The plausible mechanism is that lack of physical activity limits the release of endorphins, serotonin, and other mood-enhancing chemicals, resulting in a higher risk of mental health disorders.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, governments around the world moved fast to declare emergencies and implemented policies that restricted movement across all ages, occupations and educational institutes. We started to work and study remotely and the “social distancing” that was designed to protect us from the virus ultimately led to “social distancing” from healthy living. Two studies in this Research Topic addressed the impact of COVID-19 pandemic measures and fear of transmission and spread, on the reduced level of physical activity and increased level of sedentary behavior and subsequent health outcomes. Al-Hindawi et al. found that 2 in 3 medical and nursing students reported a decrease in physical activity and increase in sedentary behavior during the pandemic. Another study conducted by Shpakou et al. compared countries with “different approaches of anti-pandemic measures” and reported decline in levels of physical activity among university students and students athletes. The above study added that lower levels of physical activity in one of the countries were associated with lower life satisfaction and lower levels of ability to cope stress (Shpakou et al.).
Pandemic or no pandemic, the countless health threats associated with unhealthy lifestyle and behavior have undoubtedly gotten the attention of researchers in recent times. A community-based study in this Research Topic conducted by Zhang et al. addressed the impact of “unhealthy lifestyle” prior to the pandemic. This study reported that participants with unhealthy lifestyle scores, including physical inactivity and sedentary behavior, were more likely to report depressive symptoms (Zhang et al.). The above unhealthy scores got worse with additional unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, sleep deprivation and excessive alcohol consumption, indicating accumulated risk, and subsequently, further decline of health and wellbeing.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that sedentary lifestyle poses a serious threat to human health and wellbeing, which is aggravated by the pandemic. Considering the pandemic and other forms of large-scale disasters that warrant lockdowns and long-term restriction on movement, public health planners and policy-makers should develop and implement appropriate strategies to reduce sedentary behaviors in the community, particularly those at risk. However, addressing the reality of sedentary lifestyle entails a multifaceted approach and partnership with individuals, communities, and policymakers. Workplace interventions and programs should aim at reducing sedentary time and promoting a culture of healthy lifestyle and wellness. Moreover, public health campaigns and interventions should focus on raising awareness of prolonged sitting and inactivity and encourage undertaking physical activity compromising by adhering to public health orders of not spreading the infectious disease during pandemics.
Author contributions
FH: Conceptualization, Investigation, Resources, Supervision, Visualization, Writing—original draft, Writing—review and editing. EY: Supervision, Validation, Writing—review and editing. ME-S: Conceptualization, Project administration, Visualization, Writing—review and editing.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge all of the authors who contributed to this Research Topic. We would also like to acknowledge our affiliated institutions for the support provided to us during this assignment.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
References
1. Lin YT, Chen M, Ho CC, Lee TS. Relationships among leisure physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, physical fitness, and happiness in adults 65 years or older in Taiwan. Int J Environ Res Public Health. (2020) 17:5235. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17145235
2. Stults-Kolehmainen MA. Humans have a basic physical and psychological need to move the body: physical activity as a primary drive. Front Psychol. (2023) 14:1134049. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1134049
3. Tremblay MS, Colley RC, Saunders TJ, Healy GN, Owen N. Physiological and health implications of a sedentary lifestyle. Appl Physiol Nutr Metabol. (2010) 35:725–40. doi: 10.1139/H10-079
4. Anstey KJ, Kingston A, Kiely KM, Luszcz MA, Mitchell P, Jagger C. The influence of smoking, sedentary lifestyle and obesity on cognitive impairment-free life expectancy. Int J Epidemiol. (2014) 43:1874–83. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyu170
5. Hanna F, Daas RN, El-Shareif TJ, Al-Marridi HH, Al-Rojoub ZM, Adegboye OA. The relationship between sedentary behavior, back pain, and psychosocial correlates among university employees. Front Public Health. (2019) 7:80. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00080
Keywords: sedentary lifestyle, physical activity, COVID-19, physical health, mental health
Citation: Hanna F, You E and El-Sherif M (2023) Editorial: The impact of sedentary behavior and virtual lifestyle on physical and mental wellbeing: social distancing from healthy living. Front. Public Health 11:1265814. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1265814
Received: 23 July 2023; Accepted: 28 July 2023;
Published: 03 August 2023.
Edited and reviewed by: Christiane Stock, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
Copyright © 2023 Hanna, You and El-Sherif. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Fahad Hanna, fahad.hanna@torrens.edu.au