The health economics of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour: healthcare expenditure and cost-effective interventions
type: CreativeWork
description: Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour increases the risk of premature mortality and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and cancers. Globally, the prevalence of these risk factors is increasing, putting many people at increased risk. Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour are an economic burden due to direct healthcare costs and indirect costs from reduced productivity, increased absenteeism, and other out-of-pocket costs. Previous studies have estimated the healthcare costs associated with physical inactivity using a prevalence-based approach and self-reported data, however no estimates were available for sedentary behaviour and none had estimated the costs using objectively measured data. The Global Action Plan for Physical Activity (GAPPA) from the World Health Organisation (WHO) has set out ambitious targets to reduce physical inactivity by 15% by 2030, however there is no indication that we are on course to meet those goals. Greater understanding of the economic burden of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour could be used to build a financial case to persuade policymakers to prioritise interventions that can increase activity. Importantly, the interventions to reduce physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour should be both cost-effective overall and reduce existing health inequalities. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to estimate the direct healthcare costs associated with prolonged sedentary behaviour and physical inactivity in the United Kingdom (UK) and to explore the cost-effectiveness of interventions to reduce physical inactivity, using both individual and population-level perspectives. Study one (see Chapter 3): The aim of this study was to estimate the annual direct healthcare costs of prolonged sedentary behaviour to the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. There is moderate-strong evidence that prolonged sedentary behaviour increases the risk of five diseases: CVD, T2D, lung cancer…
abstract: Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour increases the risk of premature mortality and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and cancers. Globally, the prevalence of these risk factors is increasing, putting many people at increased risk. Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour are an economic burden due to direct healthcare costs and indirect costs from reduced productivity, increased absenteeism, and other out-of-pocket costs. Previous studies have estimated the healthcare costs associated with physical inactivity using a prevalence-based approach and self-reported data, however no estimates were available for sedentary behaviour and none had estimated the costs using objectively measured data. The Global Action Plan for Physical Activity (GAPPA) from the World Health Organisation (WHO) has set out ambitious targets to reduce physical inactivity by 15% by 2030, however there is no indication that we are on course to meet those goals. Greater understanding of the economic burden of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour could be used to build a financial case to persuade policymakers to prioritise interventions that can increase activity. Importantly, the interventions to reduce physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour should be both cost-effective overall and reduce existing health inequalities. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to estimate the direct healthcare costs associated with prolonged sedentary behaviour and physical inactivity in the United Kingdom (UK) and to explore the cost-effectiveness of interventions to reduce physical inactivity, using both individual and population-level perspectives. Study one (see Chapter 3): The aim of this study was to estimate the annual direct healthcare costs of prolonged sedentary behaviour to the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. There is moderate-strong evidence that prolonged sedentary behaviour increases the risk of five diseases: CVD, T2D, lung cancer…
author: Heron, Leonie
language: eng
keywords: Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, econometric analysis, economic evaluation, healthcare costs, systematic review, behaviour change, social return on investment
date published: 2021-7
date modified: 2026-07-24T03:55:58Z
provider: Queen's University Belfast
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Queen's University Belfast