A group of researchers used data regression models to examine the use of health care services by physically active and inactive people in Canada and their findings were quite compelling.

The results show that, compared to an active person, an inactive person:
• spends 38% more days in hospital
• uses 5.5% more family physician visits
• uses 13% more specialist services
• uses 12% more nurse visits

On an annual basis, additional use of health care associated with insufficient
physical activity is about:
• 2.37 million family physician visits
• 1.33 million other physician visits
• 0.47 million nurse visits
• 1.42 million hospital stays
(Estimates of social cost for the publicly funded health care system in Canada.)

A physically active lifestyle can have dramatic health benefits, reduce utilization of health care resources, and result in considerable cost savings. So get out there and just be active! And pass it on.

http://www.centre4activeliving.ca/publications/research-update/2009/sept-overweight.html