Physical Activity and Obesity: Lessons from the HERITAGE Family Study

摘要

Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are two ofnthe most prevalent conditions in industrializedncountries. They are also two of the mostnpowerful risk factors for common diseases, and bothnare associated with premature death. Not surprisinglynthey are also intimately linked to one another: Physicalninactivity favors weight gain and obesity; obesity,nparticularly severe obesity, entrains physical inactivity.nThe preceding is perceived as a given and a truism innthe popular press. However, it has proven very challengingnto unequivocally document these relations in humannstudies. Indeed there is a dearth of well-designed andnproperly powered experimental research on the reciprocalnrelationships between physical inactivity or exercisenlevel and obesity.