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Lack of exercise puts one in four at risk


Lack of exercise puts one in four at risk

Very little progress has been made in reducing levels of inactivity worldwide, experts have warned. A World Health Organization report estimates that more than a quarter of people worldwide - 1.4 billion - are not doing enough physical exercise, a figure that has barely improved since 2001.

Inactivity raises the risk of a raft of health problems, such as heart disease, type-2 diabetes and some cancers.

High-income countries, including the UK, were among the least active.

And women were found to be more sedentary throughout the world, with the exception of two regions of Asia.

The countries with the highest rates of inactivity were:

* Kuwait 67%

* American Samoa 53%

* Saudi Arabia 53%

* Iraq 52%

The countries with the least inactivity were:

* Uganda and Mozambique 6%

Experts called on governments to provide and maintain infrastructure that promoted sports and increased walking and cycling for transport.

Dr Melody Ding, from the University of Sydney, who was not involved in the study, said that while economic development led to lifestyle changes that increased sedentary behaviour, governments could do more to help people be more active, such as improving public transport and making it easier to walk and cycle.

- Source: BBC News

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