Being sedentary reduces your ability to perform activities of daily living.

Lack of physical activity can cause a loss of functional abilities. Can you imagine not being able to get up out of your bed in the morning on your own? What about putting a shirt on? How about if someone had to walk you to and help you use the restroom?

These are called activities of Daily Living (ADL's). Many older adults are becoming disabled and not able to care for themselves. Why? A lot of it has to do with the fact that the population is becoming more and more sedentary. Not only are we becoming dependent on technology, we are sitting much through the day in our occupations, daily commutes, and in our everyday life. This lack of activity is causing many, problems in our society.

A recent study looked at whether time spent in sedentary behavior is is related to disability in activities of daily living, and this was independent of time spent in physical activity. The results showed that the more time one is spending in sedentary behavior, the higher the chances of having an ADL disability.

Having an ADL disability can increase your chances of hospitalization, and institutionalization. The cost of care in the U.S. is increasing exponentially, and this is a major concern for many. In 2025 the estimated number of adults over the age of 65 is 55 million, and by 2030 over 65 million.

Along with the rise of population in adults over the age of 65, there is a decrease in caregivers for that population. In 2010 there was more that 7 potential caregivers for every person in High risk age of 80-plus. By 2030 the ratio is projected to decline to 4 to 1. This means there is a potential that our older adults may not be able to have the care they need.

What this means is that you should take every measure to decrease your risk of gaining a functional disability, in order to be able to remain functional for as long as possible. There are many ways to do this, and reducing the amount of sedentary behavior is the number one place to start.

Another way is to take control of your health and wellness and talk to a qualified professional about how to increase the number of healthy and functional years you live. It is important to become educated and to know what your risks are, in order to gain the control and confidence you need to stay able.

- Inspire