Increased physical activity may reduce mortality risk in inactive people

Researchers from the EPIC study (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) found that increased physical activity (PA) reduced the risk of mortality, particularly when comparing inactive people with those who were moderately inactive. The researchers concluded that these findings provide evidence that even a small increase in the amount of PA by the most inactive members of society should be encouraged. It has the potential to greatly improve public health related outcomes.

Previous research shows that the high risk of death associated with obesity may be affected with increased PA. However only a few studies to date have examined PA, combined with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), in relation to reduced mortality. This led to uncertainty over the direct benefits of PA alone.

The current study, by researchers from several European countries, was designed as a observational (cohort) study involving 334,161 Europeans from 23 centres, in 10 different countries. Amongst them,

  • 116,980 were men (mean age 52.6 years) and
  • 217,181 women (mean age 51.2 years).

Both groups were followed-up 12.4 years after the initial assessment, on average. Participants’ BMI and WC were measured in a clinical setting and PA was assessed through a validated self-report system. PA included occupational, recreational and household PA; it was divided into four levels of intensity: active, moderately active, moderately inactive and inactive. The associations between PA, BMI and WC with mortality were adjusted for sex, education, smoking and alcohol intake. …more

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