Playing sports promotes health, physical and mental. And it increases income. This is according to research conducted by the British nonprofit organization Nuffield Health, together with the London School of Economics.
The study compared the quality of life of people who habitually exercise with that of those who lead sedentary lives. The findings confirm that playing sports regularly helps in controlling cholesterol and blood pressure, and reduces the risk of diabetes, overweight, and cardiovascular disease. But it introduces a more convincing argument for the lazy. Those who play sports earn an extra 6,500 a year.
The research supports the public campaign in Britain encouraging people to exercise, at least 12 minutes a day for women and 10 for men. Such widespread lifestyle improvement is estimated to save the UK Public Health Service more than 7 billion euros.