Early Death For Couch Potatos

[Darlek]

Saturday July 24, 02:11 PM

Lack of activity more deadly than smoking

HONG KONG (AFP) - Life as a couch potato is more deadly than smoking, according to new research which found more people in Hong Kong died from lack of physical activity than from tobacco consumption.

The study of Hong Kong residents aged over 35 who died in 1998 found a lack of physical activity caused more than 6,400 deaths a year, compared with just over 5,700 from smoking, the South China Morning Post reported Saturday.

Relatives of 24,079 people who died in 1998 were questioned about the amount of leisure-time physical activity the deceased engaged in during the decade before their deaths, it said.

The research was carried out by the University of Hong Kong and the Department of Health.

"We calculated that about 20 percent of all deaths in Hong Kong people aged 35 and above could be attributed to a lack of physical activity. This amounted to 6,450 deaths," the Post quoted Lam Tai-hing, head of the university's department of community medicine, as saying.

"Deaths due to physical inactivity exceeded those due to smoking -- 5,270 in 1998," he said.

Physical activity was defined as any form of activity or exercise outside work.

"Over half of the people in Hong Kong do not have enough physical activity. We can even say that they are grossly inadequate," Lam said.

Just 29 to 36 percent of the men who died had been active at least once a month, and 30 to 36 percent of the women.

The professor said smoking and lack of physical activity were both deadly.

"There are many people who do not smoke, but they also have very low levels of physical activity. So the message to them is: it is fine if you do not smoke. But if you do not exercise, then you are (still) at high risk," Lam said.

For inactive adults, the risk of dying from cancer increases 45 percent for men and 28 percent for women, the researchers found.

The risk of dying from respiratory ailments soars 92 percent for men and 75 percent for women, while the rise of dying from heart disease rises 52 percent for men and 28 percent for women.

Lam said even moderate increases in physical activity were beneficial to health.

"You do not have to do a lot... if you cut down your sitting time by half an hour and walk -- and you do not need gyms or stadiums to do this -- if you do a bit more walking and do a little bit more house cleaning, these would be beneficial," Lam said.

[Pepe']

sedentary life style is the worse...

[Davidcharles]

Spend 2500bht on a bike, and ride it for an hour three times a week.

It's great and you will be healthier, and live longer......

[lopburi3]

Spend 2500bht on a bike, and ride it for an hour three times a week.

It's great and you will be healthier, and live longer......

Not in Bangkok!

[camerata]

Just be careful how you go about exercising. I started lifting weights and ended up damaging the cartilage in my knees and elbows (chondromalacia). I walked home from work every night in Bangkok and after 5 years developed bronchitis from the pollution. So now my lungs are permanently compromised and I can't go near traffic, cigarette smoke, incense or mosquito coils. Fortunately I'm a non-smoker. I made a point of walking up and down stairs, but in a freak accident a missed a step and sprained my ankle. Seven months later and 2 months of ultrasound and physical therapy and it still hasn't healed properly. I can't walk more than 20 minutes non-stop.

If you don't have access to a pool, the safest way to exercise is to join a fitness club and do 30 minutes on a treadmill or cycle machine 3-5 times a week. The immediate benefits you'll notice are that you rarely get colds or flu and you sleep better.

[ProThaiExpat]

I had a college professor who was 85 when he taught my class and he didn't exercise ever.

The world renouned jogging guru died at 45, I am so old and sedentary, I can't remember his name.

Doesn't mean I don't feel better when I exercise and it is much easier to bend over when you don't have a gut. I don't smoke or drink, but genes are the main thing, just look at the ages of your forebearers when they died to get a rough idea when your time will come.

[ASIC]

I heard that If you exercise 30 minutes a day, you will live on average 7 years longer. However, if you add up 30 minutes a day, it's exactly 7 years. So what's the difference?

ASIC

[Speedy]

I heard that If you exercise 30 minutes a day, you will live on average 7 years longer. However, if you add up 30 minutes a day, it's exactly 7 years. So what's the difference?

ASIC

Ha ha Ha.. The magic of Mathematics and Statistics

[20yearsinthai]

Had an uncle who died at 94--im sure he did not exercise for 40-50 years--but he watched his diet and had a strong body from years of playing basketball when he was younger.

yearly health checkups, exercise, diet, maybe a little meditation.--anything but a couch potatoe