Physical Inactivity Is a Disease Synonymous With a Non-Permissive Brain Disorder

The document proposed that physical inactivity should be considered a non-permissive brain disorder (NPBD), which results from adaptive disorders of dopamine signaling and environmental factors. This disorder leads to a "reptile phenotype" characterized by hypothermia, poor hair growth, decreased fertility, and low basal metabolic rate. The authors argued that physical inactivity is not just a factor but the actual cause of many chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and depression. They highlighted that only a small percentage of the population meets the minimum recommended physical activity levels, and this inactivity rapidly causes systemic changes akin to disease. The hypothesis suggested that NPBD could be tested through biomarkers and motivational treatments to encourage spontaneous and voluntary exercise.