--- title: Lack of Exercise Is a Bigger Factor Than Obesity in Premature Death description: Researchers say at least twice as many deaths are attributable to inactivity compared with the number of deaths linked to obesity. canonical: https://time.com/3668654/exercise-obesity-walking-premature-death/ author: David Stout article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-01-15T06:35:57.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-01T09:02:32.307Z article:section: Health og:title: Inactivity Is More Harmful Than Obesity og:description: A short daily walk could literally save your life og:url: https://time.com/3668654/exercise-obesity-walking-premature-death/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfd5f0706c2d05230/69877a0606f2c1c7bb333670/lazy-inactivity-exercise.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: Lazy Inactive Exercise og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Inactivity Is More Harmful Than Obesity twitter:description: A short daily walk could literally save your life twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfd5f0706c2d05230/69877a0606f2c1c7bb333670/lazy-inactivity-exercise.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Lack of Exercise Is a Bigger Risk Factor Than Obesity in Premature Death > Sponsored content. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=c7967962-c7b3-4ff9-9c68-785e300e3479&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Inactivity Worse Than Obesity? [Watch (HLS stream): Inactivity Worse Than Obesity?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/19HYwmDb.m3u8) (0:56)  _Published 2015-01-15. University of Cambridge researchers found being inactive may be twice as deadly as being obese._ by [David Stout](https://time.com/author/david-stout/) ## David Stout Jan 15, 2015 6:35 AM UTC by [David Stout](https://time.com/author/david-stout/) ## David Stout Jan 15, 2015 6:35 AM UTC A brisk 20-minute walk a day may be enough to reduce an individual’s risk of early death by up to 30 percent, [according](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150114143118.htm) to a new report published this week. In a study published by the _American Journal of Clinical Nutrition_ on Wednesday, researchers claim that at least twice as many deaths may be attributable to a lack of physical activity when compared with the number of deaths linked to obesity. According to their research, which was based on data from 334,161 European men and women, a 20-minute daily walk or a comparable exercise, in which at least 90 to 110 calories are burned, will reduce the risk of premature death by between 16 and 30 percent. “This is a simple message: just a small amount of physical activity each day could have substantial health benefits for people who are physically inactive,” said Ulf Ekelund from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge. \[[_Science Daily_](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150114143118.htm)\] ### See the 10 Healthiest Cities to Live in America  Honolulu, Hawaii Best Place for Lifelong Health The heavenly climate helps, but the key to well-being here also includes enviable health care and a rich cultural tradition of looking out for one another. Colin Anderson—Blend Images/Corbis  San Francisco Bay Area, Calif. Best Place for Eating Right. The "farm to table" movement began here. The region's bounty of produce and year-round growing season make eating healthy—and local—a natural. Getty Images  Burlington, Vt. Best Place for Raising Healthy Kids This New England city offers great schools, excellent pediatric care, loads of culture and limitless options for healthy outdoor fun all year long. Matt Hogan/www.mphoganphoto.com  Silicon Valley, Calif. Best Place for Workplace Wellness With treadmill desks, meetings on bikes, time off for creativity, and gobs of organic food, tech titans are reinventing how to stay healthy on the job. Jim Wilson—The New York Times/Redux  Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. Best Place for Aging Well Yes, it can be cold. But with a plethora of stimulating activities and a robust web of support, the Twin Cities prove that growing old doesn't mean slowing down. Getty Images  Denver and Boulder, Colo. Best Place for Keeping Fit The urge to get outside and get moving is contagious in these Rocky Mountain cities, where physical challenge is built into the landscape. Celin Serbo—Aurora Photos/Corbis  Plano, Texas Best Place for Staying Safe Once a rural outpost, this booming, diverse city has kept its small-town vibe, thanks in part to a police force and community that knows how to work together. Misty Keasler—Redux for TIME  Portland, Ore. Best Place for a Healthy Environment Small, walkable neighborhoods, 300 miles of bike paths, and urban policies that foster active living and sustainability make for one clean, green city. Getty Images  Boston, Mass. Best Place for Health Care This history-rich city is home to some of the nation's most advanced medical institutions and policies that help ensure that quality care is available to all. K.C. Cohen—Courtesy of Boston Children's Hospital  Provo and Orem, Utah Best Place for Spiritual Well-Being A stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop and a tight-knit population that lives its faith contribute not only to this region's serenity but also to lower rates of disease. Getty Images ## Transcript Researchers say just a 20 minute walk a day could add years to your life. University of Cambridge researchers released a study that found being inactive may be twice as deadly as being obese. In addition to early death, physical inactivity has already been associated with heart disease and cancer. To find out about the link between inactivity and early death researchers analyzed data from more than 334, 000 already participating in a nutrition and cancer study. They found the greatest variance in premature deaths was between those who were moderately inactive and those who were completely inactive. Study authors estimated exercising the equivalent of walking briskly 20 minutes a day reduces the risk of premature death by up to 30 %. Researcher Alt Eklin said, although we found that just 20 minutes a day would make a difference, we should really be looking to do more than this. Physical activity has many proven health benefits and should be an important part of our daily life. 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