Lack of exercise ’causes twice as many early deaths as obesity’

A new study from the University of Cambridge has demonstrated that the potentially significant health benefits of even a modest increase in physical exercise.

The research analysed data from more than 334,000 European men and women, finding that twice as many deaths may be attributable to a lack of physical activity than the number directly caused by obesity.

Moreover, exercise equivalent to a 20-minute brisk walk each day would help an individual deemed to be inactive or moderately inactive to reduce their risk of premature death by between 16 to 30 percent.

Although the impact was greatest amongst normal weight individuals, even those with higher body mass index scores saw a benefit.

Study leader Professor Ulf Ekelund from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge 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."

It is well-established that exercise can reduce a person's risk of major illnesses – such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer – by up to 50 percent, while lowering their risk of early death by up to 30 percent.