Campaigners call for cycling cash as study finds inactivity twice as deadly as obesity | road.cc

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he study of 334,161 people, conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge, found that inactivity causes 676,000 deaths a year, while obesity contributes to approximately 337,000 deaths, reports BBC News. . . .

According to Professor Elkelund, cutting out inactivity throughout Europe would result in a drop in the mortality rate of 7.5 per cent, while cutting obesity would result in a 3.6 per cent fall.

"But I don't think it's a case of one or the other,” he explained. “We should also strive to reduce obesity, but I do think physical activity needs to be recognised as a very important public health strategy. . . .

Professor John Ashton, president of the Faculty of Public Health, urged the government to invest in cycling to encourage more people to ride bikes.

He told BBC News: "We need substantial investment in cycling infrastructure to make our streets safer.

"If more people cycled or walked to work or school, it would make a big difference in raising levels of physical activity."

His appeal was echoed by Philip Insall, Director of Health at the sustainable transport charity, Sustrans, who said: “This country cannot afford to continue ignoring the relationship between physically active transport and health.

“Inactive lifestyles are responsible for thousands of premature deaths and incur massive costs for our health system. Enabling people to walk and cycle for their everyday journeys is the tonic for the nation that must be prescribed immediately.

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Campaigners call for cycling cash as study finds inactivity twice as deadly as obesity | road.cc

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