Inequality in life expectancy linked to physical activity

Engaging in moderate exercise for 3 to 5 hours weekly can lower the risk of premature death by 21%, while doubling that time can reduce the risk by 31%. Therefore, starting a moderate exercise routine in one’s 30s can potentially extend life expectancy by seven years.

The CDC estimates that 8.3% of annual deaths can be attributed to a lack of sufficient physical activity throughout life, with the highest prevalence among adults aged 40-69. Additionally, being sedentary for over 9.5 hours daily is correlated with an increased risk of early mortality.

While the goal of achieving 10,000 steps daily is widely recognized, recent research suggests that even 4,000 steps can significantly enhance life expectancy, with a 15% reduction in mortality risk for every additional 1,000 steps taken. However, those living in areas with limited sidewalks or parks face significant challenges in achieving this.

A product of our built environment

The primary factor contributing to physical inactivity is our built environment—streets, parks, buildings, sidewalks, and trails. Low-income neighborhoods are often deprived of parks. For example, in NYC, low-income areas have 21% less park space compared to wealthier neighborhoods, a trend seen nationwide.

Children primarily obtain their physical activity through sports and physical education classes. However, Black children typically start playing youth sports at an average age of 8, which is a year later than their White peers. Overall, 100 million Americans, including 27 million children, lack access to nearby parks. Even the presence of sidewalks can significantly affect physical health, with studies showing that sidewalk access correlates with higher physical activity rates and lower childhood obesity risks, while also providing safer routes to schools.

Research by the Trust for Public Land indicates that public parks in majority Black neighborhoods are half the size and nearly five times more crowded than those in predominantly White neighborhoods. The study, covering 14,000 towns and cities across America, found that parks serving low-income households tend to be four times smaller and four times more congested than those serving wealthier households.

Budget cuts in public schools further restrict physical activity, particularly in lower-income areas. Data from Massachusetts shows that sports participation in the state's ten poorest communities is 43% below the statewide average.

These inequities not only harm health outcomes but can also be disheartening. In Connecticut, over the last decade, teams from the state's five wealthiest towns have won 159 championships across all sports, while teams from the five poorest towns have collectively won only 44.

Low-income children are six times more likely to quit sports due to financial constraints. For instance, Tyriq, a sixth-grader at Schaumburg Elementary in New Orleans, loved his local basketball team but had to quit because his mother could not afford new shoes and jerseys.

Impact on women: sports, health, and beyond

Jamie Mittleman, founder of Flame Bearers, discusses the ongoing inequalities faced by women in sports and exercise.

> While TITLE IX aimed to equalize opportunities for women and girls, much work remains. Female participation in sports has increased twelvefold from 1971 to 2019, yet it only equals male participation from 1972. In 1971, about 3.6 million boys participated in sports, compared to 3.4 million girls in 2019, leaving over one million more boys participating than girls. This indicates that girls are still nearly fifty years behind boys in sports involvement.

Inequities in sports are not uniformly distributed across race, class, and geography. Girls of color, those from lower-income communities, and girls in both urban and rural settings participate less and drop out more than their White, affluent suburban counterparts, compounding missed opportunities. Specifically, urban and rural girls of color are twice as likely to drop out of sports compared to suburban White girls.

> The lack of sports opportunities translates to lost health, social, emotional, and leadership benefits. Generally, girls who engage in sports report lower rates of depression and obesity, heightened confidence, improved body image, and significant leadership skills. A study by Ernst & Young of over 400 businesswomen found that many attribute key qualities like discipline, leadership, teamwork, and resilience to their sports experiences. Similar research among women in academia, corporate sectors, and the military revealed comparable findings regarding confidence and growth mindset.

Moreover, 87% of NCAA institutions offer significantly more athletic opportunities to male athletes relative to their enrollment. The disparity in participation rates is exacerbated by pay inequities, affecting everything from athlete remuneration to coaching salaries. Recent studies indicate that male athletes earn nearly 21 times more than their female counterparts and receive 90% of sponsorship funds, leaving women athletes not only underpaid but also underrepresented commercially. Consequently, many professional women in sports face financial struggles, deterring future generations from viewing sports as a viable career path.

The way forward

• Focus on regions with high obesity and low activity rates—East Carroll, Louisiana has the highest obesity rate in the country (51% of adults) and the highest percentage of physically inactive individuals (47%). Life expectancy in East Carroll is 71.3 years, nearly six years below the national average. Targeting these high-risk areas has proven more effective for improving health outcomes than simply concentrating on moderate or low-risk areas.
• Develop youth programs in schools—Early childhood interventions are more likely to yield long-term health benefits and promote healthy habits into adulthood. Programs that educate children about the importance of physical activity, engage them physically, and encourage healthy eating are likely to produce healthier adults. Concerns that increasing physical activity hours in schools detracts from academic learning are unfounded; CDC studies indicate that extended physical activity hours can boost reading and math scores for elementary school girls, with strong links between physical activity and enhanced concentration, memory, and classroom behavior.
• Improve our built environments—Majority Black neighborhoods should not have fewer and smaller parks than majority White neighborhoods. A 2021 Washington Post article highlighted the need to invest in Black neighborhoods, asserting that clean, accessible parks and green spaces should not be luxuries reserved for affluent, predominantly White communities. Research shows that transforming vacant land into green spaces can reduce crime rates and is consistently associated with health benefits.

Physical activity, sports, and exercise contribute to longer lives and reduced health complications. However, low-income communities, Black communities, and women frequently lack access to these opportunities. The built environment plays a significant role in this divide, but the decisions regarding resource allocation seem to be the root cause. By concentrating on areas with low activity rates and supporting youth before health issues arise, communities can empower those in need.

When Michael Jordan first joined the Bulls, he included a clause in his contract titled "For the love of the game," allowing him to play anywhere, anytime, against anyone. We can learn from Jordan's example and ensure that communities have similar opportunities for exercise and play. Unfortunately, this is far from reality, and Jordan remains one of the few NBA players to have secured such a clause.

Interesting on the web

• MIT report on job roles at risk due to AI: “We find that only 23% of the wages being paid to humans for doing vision tasks would be economically attractive to automate with AI.” — TechCrunch
• New map on LGBTQ+ officials elected to public office — Georgia and Vermont have roughly the same number as Florida and New York — Out For America
• A proposal for creating a Gross Domestic Distribution (GDD) to complement our GDP reporting, from one of my favorite professors — American Prospect

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