“I play sports, so I’m not sedentary. » This very widespread idea is inaccurate. Sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity are two distinct concepts, with their own effects on health. Distinguishing them allows us to understand why we must act on both fronts, and not just one.
1. Two notions not to be confused
Physical inactivity refers to not achieving recommended activity levels. Sedentary lifestyle refers to time spent sitting or lying down with low energy expenditure. These are two independent dimensions of lifestyle.
| Profile | Active? | Sedentary? |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop Sports | Yes | Yes |
| Unsportsmanlike worker | No (leisure) | No |
| Active and mobile person | Yes | No |
| Little mobile person | No | Yes |
2. We can be both at the same time
The most common case today is that of the “active but sedentary” person: they do sports, but spend the rest of their day sitting. Conversely, a person who is not very sporty but often moves may not be very sedentary. The combinations are multiple.
3. Distinct health effects
Inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle each increase the risk of chronic diseases in their own way. Reducing one is not enough to cancel the other. This is why public health recommendations now aim to both increase activity and reduce sitting time.
4. Act on both fronts
The winning strategy combines two objectives: move more (target activity recommendations) and sit less (break up periods of immobility). These two levers are complementary and reinforce each other.
- Achieve physical activity recommendations
- Reduce and split the time spent sitting
- Do not just rely on sport to “erase” a sedentary lifestyle
Understanding this distinction means giving yourself the means for truly effective prevention.
💡 tips to remember
- Physical inactivity (not moving enough) and sedentary lifestyle (staying seated) are two distinct and independent notions.
- You can be “active but sedentary”: do sports then spend the rest of the day sitting.
- Each increases the risk of chronic diseases in its own way: reduce one is not enough to cancel out the other.
- The winning strategy combines two goals: moving more and sitting less.
- I am not satisfied not sport to “erase” a sedentary lifestyle: I also break up my long periods of sitting.
