Hey there! I’m Alex from MinuteEarth. Right now, you might be sitting or standing, but you’re probably not watching this while playing baseball, running, or rock climbing. Like many people, you might not be very active, especially when you’re watching videos online.
In the United States, more than 75% of people don’t get enough exercise, and some countries have even lower activity levels. This is a big issue because being inactive can make us feel more anxious, sleep poorly, and have worse memory. It can also shorten our lives and increase the risk of various health problems.
If everyone exercised more, we could save over 5 million lives and $50 billion in healthcare costs each year. But exercising more is tough because it goes against our natural instincts. Our ancestors had to use a lot of energy to find food, so those who saved energy when they could were more likely to survive and have children.
Research shows that our genes can influence how active we are, and these traits are passed down through generations. Our ancestors probably had genes that made them less active when they didn’t need to be, and we’ve inherited those genes. Now, since most of us don’t need to be active to survive, we tend to be even less active.
Some people do exercise for health benefits, but that’s not enough motivation for everyone. Many people still lead inactive lifestyles, which can lead to health problems.
To help people be more active, some suggest adding more physical activity into our daily lives without it being formal exercise. For example, if communities had more walking and biking paths instead of roads, people might walk or bike to work or school. Making stairs easier to use in buildings could encourage people to take them instead of elevators. Turning lawns into gardens could get people moving through gardening.
Even adding physical activity to things we usually do sitting down, like gaming, could help. However, changing how communities are built and how people think about exercise is challenging. Many people might still find it hard to be active enough, so they would need to do intentional exercise to stay healthy.
So, even if you’re watching this video while sitting, it’s a great idea to go outside and get some exercise!
This video was sponsored by the University of Minnesota, where students and staff are working on big challenges, like promoting health and physical activity. Beth Lewis, the director of the School of Kinesiology, is studying how to help adults exercise more and how it benefits mental health. Her research shows that more exercise can lower the risk of postpartum depression in new mothers.
Thanks, University of Minnesota!
Track your physical activity for a week using a pedometer or a smartphone app. Set a daily step goal and try to meet or exceed it each day. At the end of the week, reflect on how meeting your goals made you feel and discuss any challenges you faced.
Imagine you are a city planner. Design a community that encourages physical activity. Include features like walking and biking paths, parks, and community gardens. Present your design to the class and explain how it would help people be more active.
Conduct a simple experiment to see how exercise affects your mood. Before and after a physical activity session, rate your mood on a scale from 1 to 10. Compare your mood ratings over several sessions and discuss any patterns you notice.
Organize a gaming session using active video games that require physical movement, such as dance or sports games. Reflect on how this type of gaming compares to traditional video games in terms of physical activity and enjoyment.
Research the benefits of regular exercise on mental and physical health. Create a poster or presentation to share your findings with the class, highlighting how exercise can improve mood, memory, and overall well-being.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
—
Hi, this is Alex from MinuteEarth. You’re probably sitting down right now, or maybe you’re standing. But it’s unlikely that you’re watching this video while playing baseball, going for a run, or rock climbing. In fact, if you’re like most people, you’re not very active even when you’re not watching YouTube videos.
In the United States, for example, more than three-quarters of all people fail to meet recommended guidelines for physical activity, and some countries are even less active. That’s a problem because when people aren’t physically active, we tend to feel more anxious, sleep worse, and have poorer memory and shorter lifespans compared to those who are active. We also face a higher risk of various health issues, including certain diseases and conditions.
If everyone were to exercise more, the world could potentially save over 5 million lives and $50 billion in healthcare costs each year. Unfortunately, this can be quite challenging, as it seems to go against our genetic predispositions. Historically, our ancestors expended a lot of energy searching for food, and those who conserved energy during downtime were more likely to survive and reproduce.
Modern studies suggest that genetic factors influence our activity levels, and these traits can be passed down. This means that our ancestors likely had genes that favored a more sedentary lifestyle, which have been inherited by us. Now that most of us don’t need to engage in physical activities for survival, our inclination to take it easy has become more pronounced.
While some individuals do engage in physical activities intentionally for health benefits, this motivation isn’t enough for many people. As a result, a significant number of individuals lead sedentary lifestyles, which can lead to various health problems.
This has led to calls for reintroducing more non-exercise physical activity into our daily lives. For instance, if we designed communities with more pathways instead of roads, it would encourage people to walk or bike to work or school. Making stairways more accessible in buildings could promote their use over elevators. Redesigning spaces, such as turning lawns into gardens, could also encourage physical activity through gardening.
Incorporating physical activity into otherwise sedentary pursuits, like gaming, could provide additional motivation for people to be active. However, redesigning communities and changing social norms would be challenging, and many individuals might still struggle to incorporate enough incidental physical activity into their daily routines. Therefore, most people would likely still need to engage in intentional exercise to maintain their health.
So, even if you’ve been watching this MinuteEarth video from your treadmill desk, it’s a good idea to go outside and get some exercise.
This video was sponsored by the University of Minnesota, where students, faculty, and staff across various fields are working to address significant societal challenges. One of these challenges is promoting health and physical activity. Beth Lewis, the director of the School of Kinesiology, is researching effective behavioral interventions to increase physical activity among adults and is documenting the positive effects of increased activity on mental health. For example, her research has shown that higher levels of exercise are associated with a lower risk of postpartum depression among new mothers.
Thank you, University of Minnesota!
—
This version maintains the original message while ensuring clarity and appropriateness.
Exercise – Physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive for the purpose of conditioning the body. – Example sentence: Regular exercise helps improve your overall health and fitness.
Health – The state of being free from illness or injury and having a balanced physical and mental condition. – Example sentence: Eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep are important for maintaining good health.
Activity – Any movement that requires energy expenditure, often done for enjoyment or fitness. – Example sentence: Playing soccer is a fun activity that keeps you active and healthy.
Lifestyle – The way in which a person lives, including their habits, attitudes, and daily activities. – Example sentence: Adopting a healthy lifestyle can lead to a longer and more fulfilling life.
Genes – Units of heredity that are passed from parents to offspring and determine various characteristics. – Example sentence: Your genes can influence your physical abilities and how your body responds to exercise.
Motivation – The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way, especially in pursuing goals. – Example sentence: Finding motivation to exercise regularly can be challenging, but setting goals can help.
Community – A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common, often supporting each other. – Example sentence: Joining a community sports team can be a great way to stay active and make new friends.
Benefits – Advantages or positive effects that come from a particular action or situation. – Example sentence: One of the benefits of regular physical activity is improved cardiovascular health.
Anxiety – A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. – Example sentence: Exercise can help reduce anxiety by releasing endorphins that improve your mood.
Memory – The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information. – Example sentence: Physical activity has been shown to enhance memory and cognitive function in students.
