THE perils of not getting enough exercise are highlighted in a parliamentary report.

The All Party Commission on Physical Activity has warned that over half of all adults do not get the minimum amount of exercise recommended by experts.

The four UK chief medical officers recommend at least two-and-a-half hours of moderate physical activity every week. In a report entitled Tackling Physical Inactivity published today, the commission claims that up to 37,000 lives are lost prematurely every year because of a lack of exercise.

It says Britons have become 24% less active since 1961, warning that by 2030, individuals will be on average 35% less active than they were only half a century earlier.

The commission, which includes paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, calls for a cross party five-year national action plan to help combat inactivity. Recommendations include redirecting investment in transport networks toward walking and cycling schemes.