Fat and active beats slim and inactive

Moaning and sweating - that is what it takes if you want to live a long life. If you want to grow old you should use your energy on exercising instead of worrying about weighing a few pounds too much.

A recent American study shows that the key to old age is physical activity. The research results are based on a study where scientists followed 2,600 Americans over a period of 60 years. Their conclusion is unambiguous:

Inactivity is the root of all evil. Of course, body weight plays a certain role (especially if a person is heavily overweight), but the study shows that it is far better to be overweight and active than to be slim and inactive. The study confirms other studies that show how people are more likely to die as a consequence of being inactive than as a consequence of weighing too much. A whole life of inactivity typically reduces the lifespan by five years, whereas being overweight your entire life is likely to reduce your lifespan by two years.