These were the conclusions of the team that analyzed the data on over 334,000 men and women taking part in a large European study looking at the links between cancer and diet that also measured many other variables such as exercise and BMI.
When they analyzed the data, the researchers found that compared with the number of deaths linked to obesity, twice as many were linked to lack of physical activity - and, moreover - just a modest increase in physical activity could make a difference, especially among inactive people.
First author Ulf Ekelund a sport medicine professor who works in the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge in the UK, and colleagues report their findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Prof. Ekelund says the study delivers a simple message: "just a small amount of physical activity each day could have substantial health benefits for people who are physically inactive."