Obese people are urged to exercise more to avoid health troubles like heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

The number of Maltese taking up physical activity is above the European average, however it will take more than exercise to get off the top of obesity lists.

While almost half of the EU population aged 18 or over did not do any sport in 2014, almost a third spent at least two-and-a-half hours each week doing physical activities in their leisure time, according to Eurostat data. A total of 150 minutes of physical activity per week is the minimum recommended by the World Health Organization.

READ: Obesity cost Malta €36 million in 2016

Nordic states have the highest share of people who spend at least 150 minutes per week of their leisure time on physical activity, but Malta too registered a higher score than the European average.

The Maltese placed ninth on a list of 26, however this news comes after other reports placed Malta at the top of obesity lists.

Just last October, Malta was confirmed by a European Health Interview survey as the most obese nation in the EU, outweighing Latvia, second on the list by almost five per cent.

When contacted by this newspaper, Director General of Public Health Charmaine Gauci said that while physical activity was an important component, there were various other factors that affected people’s weight. This mainly included the amount and type of food consumed.

Dr Gauci said her department was currently conducting a national survey about the local physical activity levels and this would provide information about the impact of exercise on the population’s health status and guidance on the required action.

“We need to encourage these increasing physical activity trends, as active people have lower rates of mortality, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type two diabetes, metabolic syndrome, colon and breast cancer and depression,” she said.

“They are also less likely to risk hip or vertebral fracture and exhibit a higher level of cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness.”

The Health Promotion and Disease prevention Directorate offers free weight management courses for overweight and obese people. The courses include physical activity.

For more information on weight management, visit the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate Facebook page.

World Health Organisation guidelines

■ People aged between 18 and 64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.

■ Aerobic activity should be performed in 10-minute bouts.

■ For additional health benefits, adults should increase their moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes per week or engage in 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity every week.