More from the world of medical research:

Increased Fitness Associated With 50% to 70% Reductions in All-Cause Mortality

Sure, yes, we all know exercise is good for you, but perhaps some people need to hear just how good it can be for one’s longevity.

January 23, 2008 — One of the largest studies ever to link exercise capacity to mortality risk should motivate physicians to pay as much attention to patients’ exercise capacity as they do other major risk factors, researchers say [1]. Their study of older male veterans suggests that the adjusted risk of dying was reduced by 13% for every 1 metabolic equivalent (MET) increase in exercise capacity; men with the greatest exercise capacity reduced their mortality risk by 70%.

“For a little bit of investment you get a lot of a return,” lead author on the study, Dr Peter Kokkinos (Veterans Affairs [VA] Medical Center, Washington, DC) told heartwire. “In a time where health insurance in this country is going through the roof, we could do something like walk for thirty minutes a day and reap major benefits.

The study involved did focus on older male veterans, so perhaps the copious benefits of vigorous exercise only apply to them, but I have my doubts.

Favorite quote from the article:

“For god’s sake, if we could walk on the moon we can certainly walk on earth.”

Dr. Kokkinos, we have people who will circle a parking lot for five minutes to find a close spot rather than having to hoof it an extra 50 steps. These folks probably wish it was the moon so that walking would be 1/6 easier - hell, maybe they could just bounce their way to the doors of the Food Court in that case. And eat six times the normal weight of Cinnabuns.

People need to do more. They know they need to do more. They choose not to do more, because it would require effort and be an admission that they have failed in some manner. I know, because I was turning into a fat slug who thought that bacon cheeseburgers, beer, and watching movies on the couch was a fine way to live - and then, well, you know, things changed.

If news like “you will live a lot longer” doesn’t motivate someone to take better care of themselves, there’s not much any of us can do - even on the Moon.