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.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/a...ng_040724131101

I can see how this could be true. Having periods of higher metabolism like when exercising uses some of the existing resources in the body and causes the body to produce more to replace what is used. Sort of a rejuvenating effect.

 

sadly, I think this'll just inspire some smokers to go for a walk when they smoke, rather than doing the obvious: quitting smoking AND going out and getting some exercise.

 

This study is misleaded though as it refers to absolute numbers instead of the percent of each population.

For instance, I

 

Hustn is right.
I can conclude falling from a 10 story building is less dangerous than smoking b/c less than 5700 people in HK die from that each year.

gotta becareful with statistics
three kind of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics.

 

regardless... the fact that 6400 deaths due to lack of physical activity is apalling! how can these people just sit around and die? im lazy as hell but theres a limit as to how much i can sit around and do nothing

 

These "studies" will show whatever the people who fund them want you to see