Physical inactivity-attributable deaths and DALYs in Switzerland 2022
The aim of this study was to estimate the number of deaths and the number of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to physical inactivity (PIA) in Switzerland for the year 2022.
Factsheet
- Schools involved School of Health Professions
- Institute(s) Physiotherapy
- Research unit(s) Public Health und physiotherapiebezogene Gesundheitsökonomie
- Funding organisation Others
- Duration 01.01.2024 - 30.06.2024
- Head of project Prof. Dr. Nathanael Lutz
- Keywords Physical inactivity, non-communicable diseases, Deaths, DALYs
Situation
Physical inactivity (PIA) remains a significant risk factor for numerous non-communicable diseases (NCDs), mental health conditions, and premature mortality (Katzmarzyk, 2023; Santos et al., 2023). Recent research by Santos et al. (2023) indicates a projected increase of 499.2 million new cases of preventable major NCDs and mental health conditions globally between 2020 and 2030 if the prevalence of PIA persists. It is estimated that each year, nearly 16 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and 830’000 deaths are attributable to PIA (Xu et al., 2022). In 2017, 24.4% of the Swiss population aged 15 years and older failed to meet the recommended level of physical activity (PA) set by the World Health Organization (WHO) (Bundesamt für Statistik, 2023). Moreover, PIA was estimated to be responsible for 1’278 deaths in Switzerland in 2017 (Syleouni et al., 2020). The aim of this study was to estimate the number of deaths attributable to PIA for the year 2022.
Course of action
We modelled these estimates using a population attributable fraction (PAF) approach that combines estimates of prevalence (of physical inactivity) and the associated relative risk (RR) of PIA-related diseases. PIA was defined as failing to meet the recommended guidelines established by the WHO/HEPA Switzerland, which specify a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity physical activity per week. Age- and sex-specific prevalences of PIA were taken from the Swiss Health Survey 2022. A systematic literature search was conducted to extract relevant RRs from meta-analyses. Age-, sex- and disease-specific deaths were extracted from the Swiss death statistic 2022. Age- sex- and disease-specific DALYs were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Results Tool. Subsequently, stratified PIA-attributable deaths and DALYs were calculated by multiplying the PAFs with the total number of deaths and DALYs respectively. Uncertainty of the results was assessed via parametric bootstrapping.
Result
In 2022, a quarter of the adult population in Switzerland was physically inactive. Our estimations suggest that 1621 deaths (95% CI = 1460; 1770 ) could be attributed to PIA during that year. Cardiovascular diseases, cancers, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease emerged as the primary contributors to PIA-related mortality. When quantifying the burden of PIA in terms of DALYs, we found that 52’689 DALYs (95% CI = 49’119; 57’991 ) were attributed to PIA. Cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and dementia and Alzheimer’s disease were the major contributors. The age group 75 years and older contributed most to the number of deaths and DALYs attributable to PIA and women contributed substantially more deaths and DALYs as men. Compared to the last investigation of PIA in the Swiss population in 2017, PIA-attributable deaths further decreased, while PIA-attributable DALYs remained stable.
Looking ahead
This study underlines the significant impact of PIA on public health in Switzerland and highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to promote physical activity, particularly among females and individuals aged 75 years and older.
