Physical inactivity is known to increase the risk of many adverse health outcomes. These include the major non-communicable diseases emphasized by the UN as “threats to global health” in 2011: type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, breast cancer and colon cancer. A study has now shown that physical inactivity might be responsible for 6–10% of the burden of major non-communicable diseases and 9% of premature mortality. The researchers estimate that if physical inactivity were eliminated, life expectancy worldwide would increase by 0.68 years.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Lee, I. M. et al. Effect of physical inactivity on major non-communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. Lancet 380, 219–229 (2012)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Exercise to improve life expectancy. Nat Rev Endocrinol 8, 568 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2012.147
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2012.147