Scared of getting the virus? Recent study shows other reasons why you should look after your health during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The extent to which physical inactivity during the COVID-19 pandemic can significantly worsen people’s health conditions has been confirmed by researchers investigating the health implications of isolation.
Professor Paul Greenhaff, from the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham was part of an international team of researchers who have published a new white paper on the impact of time spent sitting and avoiding exercise.
The paper published on May 12 shows that inactivity has been linked with increased risk of mortality and significant problems such as cardiovascular disease and poor metabolic health.
Professor Greenhaff said: “It is of genuine concern that physical inactivity and sedentary behaviours are likely to be common during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For example, a two week transition period from a lifestyle without structured exercise training to inactivity causes effects such as insulin resistance and reduces muscle mass in healthy, young volunteers.
“Without a structured exercise regime, restoring metabolic function and muscle volume will take a lot longer, particularly in older people.”
He added: “This is clearly of significant concern in the current circumstances of social distancing and isolation, which is likely to continue for several months.”
Professor Greenhaff examined studies including those where reduced levels of physical activity – from 10,500 to 1,300 steps a day in two weeks – were conducted in young male volunteers. These led to insulin resistance in muscles – which can itself be a forerunner to Type 2 diabetes – and the loss of leg lean muscle mass.
Professor Greenhaff’s investigations also unearthed some concerning results when he looked at what happened when people reduced their exercise levels far below a recommended level of more than 5,000 steps a day.
For patients who had a basic level of mobility, in some cases, levels of exercise of an average 740 steps a day can start a “downward spiral which results in severe deconditioning”. And that could mean “long-lasting” limitation to their physical abilities.
In terms of avoiding the worst effects of sedentary behaviour during the coronavirus pandemic, to maintain muscle mass and metabolic health, the best tip is to keep moving. Resistance exercise, training that improves muscular strength and endurance, can be a positive way of fighting off the ill effects of lengthy periods of inactivity, as can taking regular walks as a break from prolonged periods of sitting.
The negative health effects of inactivity appear very quickly, and Professor Greenhaff added: “Unfortunately, most individuals are currently unaware of the potential insidious health risks associated with not moving.”
The paper, Impact of sedentarim due to the COVID-19 home confinement on muscular, cardiovascular and metabolic health: physiological and pathophysicological implications and recommendations for physical and nutritional countermeasures, is published in the European Journal of Sports Science and includes advice on how to minimise the negative health effects of inactivity during the current social distancing.
The paper was produced by leading researchers in related subjects including physiology, exercise, sports and nutrition and pathophysiology from the universities of Padova, Udine and Trieste in Italy, Copenhagen in Denmark, and Liverpool John Moores and Nottingham in the UK.
By Olimpia Zagnat
Featured photo credit: Pixabay.