Inactivity is one of the key risk factors for some of the UK's most common health problems such as heart disease and obesity. But for many Brits, the idea of donning a pair of trainers and a sweatband before heading down to the local gym is enough to keep them firmly in their seats.
But exercise does not have to be like some Rocky training montage, according to studies examining the health impact of low-intensity activities. Research in the Journal of Exercise Nutrition and Biochemistry showed that people with weight problems are able to quickly drop belly fat and increase their metabolism simply by taking part in short but regular walks.
In the study, overweight and obese women walked for around an hour three times per week. After 12 weeks of this semi-regular low-intensity workout, participants found that they had lost an inch from their waists and that their total body fat had fallen by 1.5 per cent.
