Physical inactivity-attributable deaths and disability-adjusted life years in Switzerland - Estimates for the year 2022

Objective: 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.
Methods: 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.
Results: 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.
Conclusion: 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.