Physical inactivity twice deadlier than obesity, study shows

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Physical inactivity twice deadlier than obesity, study shows

A new major study says exercise is beneficial for people of any age, warning that physical inactivity could kill twice as many people as obesity.

A 12-year study of more than 300,000 European people, who had an average age of around 50, suggests that about 676,000 deaths each year were attributed to physical inactivity, compared with 337,000 associated to obesity.

The researchers at the University of Cambridge, however, said that the risk of early death could be reduced by between 16 and 30 percent through taking at least a 20-minute brisk walk every daily.

“Just a small amount of physical activity each day could have substantial health benefits,” Professor Ulf Ekelund, who led the study, said. “…Although we found that just 20 minutes would make a difference, we should really be looking to do more than this.”

The researchers assessed exercise levels and waistlines while recording every death during the study.

They also found out that keeping waists trim had a similar impact on death rates as exercise.

The diseases caused by inactivity and obesity were largely the same but type 2 diabetes was more common with obesity.

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Physical inactivity twice deadlier than obesity, study shows