Climate Change and Physical Activity: Should We Be Worried?

Spoiler Alert: Yes, we should

By Geraldo Neto

Climate Change is Making Outdoor Exercise Unsafe

Rising temperatures, extreme weather, and poor air quality are not just making it harder to stay active—they’re putting our health at risk.

Let’s break down the specific issues and what they mean for your health and fitness.

Extreme Heat Increases Risk: Higher temperatures mean a higher risk of heatstroke, dehydration, and cardiovascular strain during exercise.

Air Pollution Compromises Respiratory Health: Increased air pollution from wildfires and smog makes it unsafe to exercise outdoors, particularly for people with asthma or heart conditions.

Weather Uncertainty Reduces Activity: Extreme weather events—like floods or storms—limit opportunities for safe physical activity.

Cold Conditions Deter Activity: While warming trends might increase activity in colder regions, sudden drops in temperature pose risks such as hypothermia and frostbite.

Decline in Winter Sports: Climate change is leading to shorter seasons for activities like skiing and snowboarding, reducing overall physical activity.

Unsafe conditions mean fewer people are staying active, leading to a decline in overall health and fitness levels.

Consequence of the Problem: Decreased Physical Activity, Worse Health

Less Exercise Leads to More Disease: Reduced physical activity is linked to higher rates of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Mental Health Declines: Physical activity is a proven way to manage stress and anxiety. As opportunities to exercise decline, mental health problems can worsen.

Loss of Community and Social Connection: Many outdoor activities, like team sports, help build community. Unsafe conditions mean fewer chances for socializing and connecting through physical activity

Higher Healthcare Costs: A less active population means more healthcare expenses in managing chronic diseases and related health issues.

If people cannot exercise safely, their health declines, healthcare costs rise, and communities suffer.

Ultimate Negative Outcome: A Global Decline in Health and Fitness

Rising Obesity Rates: Without safe outdoor spaces to exercise, more people will lead sedentary lifestyles.

More Chronic Diseases: Conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses will become more prevalent.

Worsening Health Inequities: Vulnerable groups—low-income populations, children, and the elderly—will suffer the most.

Economic Impacts: Declining health means higher healthcare costs and lost productivity, hurting economies.

Social Instability: Poor health can undermine social stability, leading to a less resilient society overall.

These outcomes will affect everyone, from individuals to entire nations.

What Can You Do?

Adapt Your Exercise Routine: Exercise during cooler times of the day or move indoors when air quality is poor.

Most weather apps (e.g., Weather Channel, AccuWeather) include Air Quality Index (AQI) updates.

The AQI is a standardized system that reports daily air quality levels. It ranges from 0 to 500, with higher numbers indicating worse air quality. It uses the following categories:

0-50 (Good): Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.

51-100 (Moderate): Air quality is acceptable; however, some pollutants may be a concern for a very small number of people sensitive to air pollution.

101-150 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups): Sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected.

151-200 (Unhealthy): Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.

201-300 (Very Unhealthy): Health alert. Everyone may experience more serious health effects.

301-500 (Hazardous): Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.

Support Climate Action Policies: Advocate for policies that reduce emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) like carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O), which contribute to global warming and climate change.

Use Active Transport: Walk or bike instead of driving to cut down on emissions of GHGs and stay active.

Choose Green Spaces: Opt for exercising in parks and areas with more greenery to reduce heat and exposure to pollution.

Educate Others: Share information on the health impacts of climate change and promote safer exercise practices.

Reference List

Bernard, P., Chevance, G., Kingsbury, C., Baillot, A., Romain, A., Molinier, V., Gadais, T., & Dancause, K. (2021). Climate change, physical activity and sport: A systematic review. Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01439-4

Obradovich, N., & Fowler, J. (2017). Climate change may alter human physical activity patterns. Nature Human Behaviour. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-017-0097

Shaw, W., & Loomis, J. (2008). Frameworks for analyzing the economic effects of climate change on outdoor recreation. Climate Research. https://doi.org/10.3354/CR00748

Sinha, S., & Mondal, T. (2023). Impact of climate change in physical activity and competitive sports: Adaptive measures and evaluating future impacts in Arunachal Pradesh, India. International Journal of Recent Advances in Humanities and Health Sciences. https://doi.org/10.55544/ijrah.3.6.17

Symonds, P., Milner, J., Mohajeri, N., Aplin, J., Hale, J., Lloyd, S., Fremont, H., Younkin, S. G., Shrubsole, C., Robertson, L., Taylor, J., Zimmermann, N., Wilkinson, P., & Davies, M. (2020). A tool for assessing the climate change mitigation and health impacts of environmental policies: The Cities Rapid Assessment Framework for Transformation (CRAFT). Wellcome Open Research. https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16345.2

Wald, A., & Demorest, S. (2022). Race to beat the heat: Climate change impacts physical activity. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2021.12.005