Latest Trustworthy News from Dr. Mercola - delivered straight to your inbox!

Lack of Exercise Costs World $67.5 Billion and Five Million Lives a Year

According to a recent study The Times of India reports that physical activity costs the global economy $67.5 billion a year in healthcare and productivity losses. Just one hour of exercise could eliminate most of that cost. One striking finding includes, "The greatest risk of premature death was for people who sat for long periods of time and did not exercise".

On average, a U.S. adult spends nine to 10 hours sitting each day, which is so much inactivity that even a 30- or 60-minute workout can’t counteract its effects. This is why efforts to increase exercise on a large scale, while important, are likely not the best way to tackle the “epidemic” of too much sitting.