Indolence is generally frowned upon by cultures. However, that has not stopped humanity from shunning labour. In fact, the genesis of technology lies in mankind’s temptation to be slothful. But the proclivity for avoiding an active life is now exacting its toll. Indians seem to be particularly vulnerable. A study published recently in The Lancet Global Health shows that about one-third of the human population did not meet the recommended level of physical activity — at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical work per week — between 2000 to 2022. Further, Asia Pacific, followed by South Asia, has the highest number of adults who are not active sufficiently. India’s case is especially worrisome — every second Indian adult is physically unfit; the country ranks twelfth in the highest prevalence of physical inaction among 195 nations. Worldwide, there was a 5% increase in adults who were not engaging in sufficient physical activity from 2010 to 2022; the corresponding surge among Indian adults was almost 16%. Worse, if this unhealthy trend remains unchecked, not only will 60% of Indian adults be physically inactive in the next six years but India will also fail to meet the World Health Organization’s target of a 15% relative reduction in physical inactivity by 2030.

The debilitating costs of laziness cannot be stressed enough. It heightens the risk of cardiovascular diseases, mental health disorders and cancers, thereby burdening an already stretched healthcare system. A national estimate has shown that non-communicable diseases are increasing at a frenetic pace — 31 million Indians became diabetic between 2019-21. Significantly, this burden is heavily skewed against women. The Lancet study showed that far more women (57%) are physically inactive than men (42%). Could this be because women are disproportionately burdened with household chores, leaving them with little or no opportunity to exercise? The other sources of this contagion must be identified and addressed. The implosion of mobile technology and social media has significantly curtailed the time spent by both the young and the old on outdoor activities. The cultural dimensions of inertia — an active life spent in outdoor recreation is far from universal — must also be redressed. Perhaps investments in the creation of open spaces — parks, jogging tracks, walking zones et al — may be useful. But change, if it is to happen, should begin with a transformation in the collective attitude towards health.