A 12-year long study of more than 300,000 people in Europe showed that the lack of exercise may cause two times the number of deaths due to obesity.
Cambridge University researchers said that every year about 676,000 people die from lack of exercise, while about 337,000 people die from obesity.
Researchers also said that a brisk 20-minute walk every day can bring about considerable health effects.
Experts say that no matter how much weight, exercise is good for human health.
Obesity and lack of exercise usually go hand in hand with each other.
But it is understood that thin people who lack exercise face higher health risks, while fat people who do exercise are healthier than those who do not.
Researchers followed 334,161 Europeans over a 12-year period, recording their exercise level, waist size, and number of deaths.
Professor Eklund, one of the researchers, said, “Regardless of normal weight, overweight or obese people, the lack of exercise is prone to early death.”
He said that in Europe, eliminating the lack of exercise as a factor can reduce the mortality rate of nearly 7.5%, but the elimination of obesity as a factor can only reduce the mortality rate of 3.6%.
Professor Eklund said, “But I don’t think that’s better than that, we should try to reduce obesity, but I think physical activity should also be considered as an important public health strategy.”
Brisk walking
Professor Eklund, who works in Norway, is an avid cross-country skier and exercises intensely for at least five hours a week.
But all he needs to change his health is a brisk walk, he says.
“Twenty minutes of physical activity, such as a brisk walk, should be doable for most people.”
“They can walk briskly for 20 minutes on their way to work, or on their way home from work, or during their lunch break, or in the evening without watching TV.”
Lack of exercise and obesity are associated with roughly the same diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, but type 2 diabetes is more common in obese people.
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