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Estimating historical changes in physical activity levels.

G J Egger1, N Vogels, K R Westerterp

  • 1Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC. eggergj@ozemail.com.au

The Medical Journal of Australia
|February 12, 2002
PubMed
Summary
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Modern lifestyles show significantly lower physical activity levels compared to historical simulations. This suggests current public health guidelines for physical activity may need reevaluation.

Area of Science:

  • Anthropology
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Secular trends indicate a decline in physical activity over time.
  • Previous estimates of this decline require validation through direct comparison.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare physical activity levels between a simulated historical lifestyle and a modern sedentary lifestyle.
  • To validate earlier estimates of secular changes in human activity.

Main Methods:

  • Triaxial accelerometers (TRACMORs) measured activity in seven male actors simulating an early Australian settler lifestyle.
  • Activity levels were compared between the historical group and seven sedentary modern office workers.

Main Results:

  • The historical group exhibited activity levels up to 2.3 times greater than the modern group.

Related Experiment Videos

  • This difference is equivalent to walking an additional 16 km per day in the past compared to present-day sedentary behavior.

    • Conclusions:

    • Findings support previous estimates of declining daily activity levels.
    • Current public health guidelines for physical activity may be insufficient to address the observed decline.