Physical Inactivity Highest in Appalachia and the South

According to a new study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans living in Appalachia and the South are the most likely to be physically inactive during their leisure time.  The states ranking among the highest are Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Tennessee, whose physical inactivity rates are 29 percent or greater for more than 70 percent of the counties.  Compared to the high physical activity levels on the West Coast and in the Northeast, the South’s sedentary ways are catching up with them.  Soaring obesity rates and high levels of undiagnosed diabetes are among the most significant results of physical inactivity in these areas. 

For most people, it’s no surprise that exercise controls weight, reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, strengthens bones and muscles and overall increases energy.  Yet, the CDC found that physical inactivity in these areas wasn’t just about laziness or an unawareness of the health benefits of exercise, but more so due to a lack of health-promoting initiatives.  Since this study, the CDC has partnered with multiple community organizations and policymakers to implement projects aimed at getting people off the couch and on their feet.  Among these initiatives are the National Diabetes Prevention Program and numerous state-based Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity programs, which emphasize dietary change, coping skills and support to help participants lose weight and increase physical activity to at least 150 minutes per week.  

This study brought to mind the Jamie Oliver show Food Revolution, which chronicled Appalachian families struggling with obesity, diabetes, poor diets and a lack of physical activity.  Needing an intervention, the families were taught how to cook healthier foods at home, advocate for healthier food in their school lunches and overall improve their health enough to see their grandchildren grow up.  An eye-opening portrayal of the incredible obstacles facing many of these families in terms of improving their health, I thought the show was a great education tool for all Americans.  I wish it were coming back for another season!

I applaud the CDC for focusing their efforts on an area of the country so desperately in need of health-related resources and I hope their efforts are met with success.  Unfortunately, diet-related health issues run much deeper than not exercising, as Food Revolution so boldly revealed.  They can be a manifestation of socio-economic status, education, access to food, cooking skills, statewide politics and so much more.  This complicates the issues, but no matter what, we have to start somewhere, with a targeted approach at the local level to get communities moving.  The clock is ticking.