Why a lack of exercise is 'twice as deadly as obesity'

A research has found that exercise, even a 20-minute walk, can reduce the risk of premature death.

18:32 15 January 2015

A study conducted at Cambridge University has found that lack of exercise is twice as deadly as obesity.  However, 20-minutes of brisk walking each day was said to reduce the risk of premature death.

The study, which was participated in by more than 334,000 people over 12 years, has confirmed that exercise is much more important than body weight for longevity.

Study leader Professor Ulf Ekelund, from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at Cambridge University, said: "This is a simple message: just a small amount of physical activity each day could have substantial health benefits for people who are physically inactive.”

"Although we found that just 20 minutes would make a difference, we should really be looking to do more than this - physical activity has many proven health benefits and should be an important part of our daily life."

Co-author Professor Nick Wareham, director of the Medical Research Council’s Epidemiology Unit, added: "Helping people to lose weight can be a real challenge, and whilst we should continue to aim at reducing population levels of obesity, public health interventions that encourage people to make small but achievable changes in physical activity can have significant health benefits and may be easier to achieve and maintain."