Physical inactivity kills 5 million a year: report
(AFP) – Jul 17, 2012
PARIS — A third of the world's adults are physically inactive, and the couch potato lifestyle kills about five million people every year, experts said in the medical journal The Lancet on Wednesday.
"Roughly three of every 10 individuals aged 15 years or older -- about 1.5 billion people -- do not reach present physical activity recommendations," they said in a report that described the problem as a "pandemic."
The picture for adolescents is even more worrying, with four out of five 13- to 15-year-olds not moving enough, it said.
Physical inactivity was described for the study as failing to do 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five times a week, 20 minutes of vigorous activity three times a week, or a combination of the two.
Inactivity increases with age, is higher in women than in men, and more prevalent in high-income countries, the researchers found.
A second study, comparing physical activity levels with population statistics on diseases like diabetes, heart problems and cancer, said lack of exercise claimed more than 5.3 million of the 57 million deaths worldwide in 2008.
It said inactivity was a risk factor comparable to smoking or obesity.
Lack of exercise causes an estimated six percent of coronary heart disease cases, seven percent of type 2 diabetes (the most common form) and 10 percent of breast and colon cancers, it said.
Reducing inactivity by 10 percent could eliminate more than half a million deaths every year, the report said, adding that the estimates were conservative.
The human body needs exercise to help the bones, muscles, heart and other organs function optimally, but populations are walking, running and cycling less and less as they spend more time in cars and in front of computers, the investigators said.
The Lancet series called for global efforts to promote physical exercise by improving pedestrian and cyclist safety on city roads, for example, more physical education at school or promoting access to free public exercise spaces.
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Graphic of healthy, overweight and obese males.33, 45 and 60  (84, 114 and 152 respectively)

A report published by  '''' suggests living a  is now as-fatal for individuals as smoking. Compiled by 33 research workers, the report speaks of a "pandemic" in which an estimated one-in-three adults worldwide are inactive, leading to approximately 5.3 million fatalities from this.

Research for ''The Lancet'' established people in higher-income countries are more inactive than those where lower incomes prevail. The study indicated nearly two-in-three adults in the United Kingdom are not active enough. "Roughly three of every 10 individuals aged 15 years or older — about 1.5 billion people — do not reach present physical activity recommendations," states the report, publicised in the approach to the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Pedro Hallal, a lead researcher for the study, explained: "With the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games, sport and physical activity will attract tremendous worldwide attention. Although the world will be watching elite athletes from many countries compete in sporting events ... most spectators will be quite inactive. The global challenge is clear - make physical activity a public health priority throughout the world to improve health and reduce the burden of disease."  president Professor Lindsey Davies spoke of a similar theory: "We need to do all we can to make it easy for people to look after their health and get active as part of their daily lives ... Our environment has a significant part to play. For example, people who feel unsafe in their local park will be less likely to use it." According to ''BBC Health'', exercising can assist in strengthening one's bones, as well as assisting with issues such as insomnia and depression.

However,  reported the comparison of a sedentary lifestyle with smoking has been called into question, as smoking is more likely to cause death. At-issue is comparing the number of smokers with the significantly lower number of individuals living sedentary lifestyles. Dr. Claire Knight from  asserts: "When it comes to preventing cancer, stopping smoking is by far the most important thing you can do."