Interacting with moderately active people can influence sedentary people to be more active. That’s according to a mathematical model recently developed by researchers at Kean University in New Jersey in the United States.
The study team builds on previous research showing that social interactions with peers can play an important role in increasing physical activity in a community. With this, the team developed a model that simulates how social interactions can affect a population’s exercise trends over time.
The simulations showed that in the absence of social interactions, populations experienced a long-term decline in physically active individuals and sedentary behaviors began to dominate.
When the simulations included social interactions between sedentary and moderately active people, the outcome was different: sedentary populations became more physically active over the long term.
In contrast, overall physical activity trends fell in simulations where moderately active people became more sedentary over time. So: both on one side and on the other, the influence of another person seems relevant.
It is important to remember that simulations are not validated with real-world data; but they give new insights increasing (or lowering) physical activity levels in a community.
To increase a population’s activity level, the researchers suggested performing social activities designed to increase interaction between sedentary and moderately active people.
However, the team stressed that more research is needed to better understand the balance between promoting exercise in sedentary people and maintaining activity levels in moderately active people.
“Traditionally, we have targeted physical activity interventions involving sedentary individuals to become more active. Our model suggests that targeting the moderately active population to maintain their activity and increase their interaction with sedentary people may promote higher overall physical activity levels in the population.” researchers say.
Matter: PLOS ONE – https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274259.
Source: Tec Mundo
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