15 Apr 2015 Obesity or Inactivity – Which Is More Deadly?
A recent study, published in the January 2015 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that inactivity can be twice as deadly as obesity. The study also suggests that even moderate exercise of 20 minutes a day can reduce the risk of mortality by up to 30%.
The Science:
The study, led by Ulf Ekelund, PhD, a senior investigator scientist at the University of Cambridge, examined the records of over 330,000 people from 10 countries. The researchers found that the mortality rate of moderately active individuals was reduced by 20% to 30% across all groups of Body Mass Index (BMI).
Surprisingly, a higher level of activity reduced the mortality level by 41% in both normal weight and over-weight individuals.
In contrast, the study found that a higher level of activity did not further reduce the risk of mortality in individuals with a BMI of over 30.
The study concludes that physical inactivity may be responsible for twice as many deaths as obesity (BMI > 30).
Our Recommendation:
This study joins many other studies reporting the many benefits of physical activity. But in our opinion it conveys an even stronger message:
Even if you are over-weight do not “give up” on your physical activity. Make it a prime goal of yours to join a gym and exercise regularly for at least 20 minutes a day. It could save your life.
