It’s common knowledge that exercise does a body good.

Previous studies have demonstrated that exercise contributes to increasing longevity. But a recent study conducted by the Cleveland Clinic and published in October 2018, illustrates the true value of exercise: according the senior author of the study and a clinic’s cardiologist, a sedentary lifestyle is more detrimental to your health than heart disease, diabetes and smoking.

Even the authors of the study were surprised to see the results. For context, the study was comprehensive, spanning the period of 1991 to 2014 and involving 122,007 participants. Researchers call the study one of the most objective of its type ever conducted which yielded extremely pronounced results. The participants of the study underwent treadmill testing designed to monitor mortality as it relates to fitness. The study was controlled, and no self-reporting was allowed.

Twelve percent of the patients were identified as having the lowest exercise rate; those who didn’t perform well on those tests had approximately double the risk of death than patients with kidney failure on dialysis did. And those people that had a sedentary lifestyle had up to a 500% increase in risk of death than the high-performing participants of the study. Sitting is three times riskier than smoking, the study shows.

Clearly, being sedentary should not be downplayed as simple laziness. Being sedentary puts you at severe health risk. The authors of the study strongly believe that exercise is the cure.

Is there a limit to exercise? Can a person exercise too much and by doing so, actually increase their risk of death? Check out our companion article for the answer.