New Study Reveals a Secret to Becoming More Active

Recent research reveals that to become less sedentary, you may need an active friend.

A new mathematical model incorporates the influence of social interactions on community exercise patterns, implying that connecting with moderately active people can motivate sedentary people to become more active. Ensela Mema of Kean University in Union, New Jersey, and her associates recently published her findings in the journal PLUS ONE.

In order to promote the health benefits of various American populations, the US Department of Health and Human Services published evidence-based guidelines in 2018 outlining the recommended types and levels of physical exercise. However, patterns at the national population level indicate that there has not been much progress in meeting these recommendations.

Mema and her colleagues used previous research showing that peer-to-peer social interactions can significantly increase physical activity within a community to help address this issue. Based on this understanding, the scientists created a mathematical model that replicates how social interactions might affect exercise trends over time in a population. The model incorporates data from the United States Military Academy.

West Point academic faculty members conduct physical training together in the fall of 2021. Credit: James Straka, CC BY 4.0

Model simulations showed that, in the absence of social interactions, populations experienced a long-term decline in physically active individuals and sedentary behavior began to dominate. However, when the simulations included social interactions between sedentary and moderately active people, sedentary populations became more physically active over the long term. Still, in simulations in which moderately active people became more sedentary over time, overall physical activity trends plummeted.

While these simulations were not validated with real-world data, the researchers say they provide new insights that could inform public health efforts to increase community physical activity levels. The researchers outline a series of recommendations for such efforts, such as social activities designed to boost interactions between sedentary and moderately active people.

These simulations could also inform efforts to maintain physical fitness in the US military, the researchers note. However, they say, more research will be needed to better understand the balance between encouraging exercise among sedentary people and maintaining activity levels in moderately active people.

The authors add: “Traditionally, we have targeted physical activity interventions by engaging sedentary people to become more active. Our model suggests that targeting the moderately active population to maintain their activity and increasing their interactions with sedentary people could stimulate higher levels of general physical activity in the population.”

Reference: “Social Influences on Physical Activity to Establish Criteria Leading to Exercise Persistence” by Ensela Mema, Everett S. Spain, Corby K. Martin, James O. Hill, R. Drew Sayer, Howard D. McInvale, Lee A. Evans, Nicholas H. Gist, Alexander D. Borowsky, and Diana M. Thomas, October 19, 2022, PLUS ONE.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274259