[Viewpoint] Physical activity in context: the systems and inequalities of metabolic harm

Physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles are now accepted as major contributors to metabolic harm and disorder in the 21st century. These harms are frequently framed as a result of individual choices, with solutions leaning into personal responsibility. There are, however, crucial structural influences on individuals’ capacity to engage with so-called lifestyle advice. In particular, the way in which structural environments influence labour, lives, and communities can present several barriers to exercise and physical activity.