Contributions of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior to metabolic and endocrine diseases

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading global cause of death and is a major contributor to metabolic and endocrine diseases. In this review we provide a current update of the past 5 years in the field as it pertains to the most prevalent and deadly chronic diseases. Despite the prevalence of physical inactivity in modern society, it remains largely overlooked relative to other comparable risk factors such as obesity, and our molecular understanding of how physical inactivity impacts metabolism is still partially unknown. Therefore, we discuss current clinical inactivity models along with their most recent findings regarding health outcomes along with any discrepancies that are present in the field. Lastly, we discuss future directions and the need for translatable animal models of physical inactivity to discover novel molecular targets for the prevention of chronic disease.