January 20, 2003 – Being inactive is more damaging to your health than being overweight or obese. This is what one of the first studies reveals1 to assess body weight and physical activity simultaneously and the effects of each on longevity.
According to lead researcher Carlos Crespo, physical inactivity is a better indicator of all causes of death than being overweight or obese. In addition, an active person who is overweight is less likely to die prematurely than an inactive overweight person.
As part of this observational study, the researchers examined the data (physical activity and anthropometric measurements) of the Puerto Rico Heart Health Program involving 9,824 men aged 35 to 79, from 1962 to 1965. Men with heart disease or who died in the first three years of the study were excluded. After this first pruning, the final sample numbered 9,136 men.
The participants were then classified into four categories according to their weight: people who were underweight (body mass index (BMI) less than 18.5), people with a healthy weight (BMI = from 18.5 to 24, 9), overweight people (BMI = 25 to 29.9) and obese (BMI = 30 and over). Once these parameters were defined, a 12-year follow-up was done in order to observe the state of health of the participants.
Interestingly, in each of the categories, the most active people had the highest life expectancy.
Despite the results of this study, a recent Gallup poll shows that the percentage of Americans considered sedentary or not very active is increasing. It climbed 6% from 2001 to 2002, from 48% to 54%. In Quebec, the phenomenon is less pronounced, but the same trend is observed: people considered sedentary or not very active increased from 17.4% to 21.3% between 1993 and 1998.
Stéphane Gagné – PasseportSanté.net
Based on press release, State University of New York at Buffalo, December 6, 2002 and Reuters Health, January 14, 2003.
1. Crespo CJ, Palmieri MR, Perdomo RP, Mcgee DL, Smit E, Sempos CT, I-Min, Sorlie PD. The relationship of physical activity and body weight with all-cause mortality. Results from the puerto rico heart health program. Ann Epidemiol 2002 Nov; 12 (8): 543-52 [consulté le 17 janvier 2002]
