U.S. researchers recently announced that when it comes to living longer, fitness is the key. Apparently, men and women who were fit, albeit overweight or obese, tend to have a lower mortality risk than those of normal weight but lower fitness level. This research was judged on a treadmill test tracking 2,600 people age 60 and up, examining how physical fitness and body fat affected their death rates in 12 years.

The study showed that even a modest effort to improve physical activity can provide health benefits, the researchers said. Those in the bottom fifth in terms of fitness were about twice as likely to die than those in the next fifth.

More than a third of U.S. adults are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer and the most common form of diabetes, the CDC said.

The CDC also has found that more than half of adults do not engage in regular physical exercise. Exercise cuts the chances of dying of coronary heart disease, as well as lowering the risk for stroke, colon cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure, the CDC said.

Any activity can increase your life span, even if it’s just for your mental health. Additionally, a healthy diet with no smoking or drinking vastly improves your quality of life and give you more energy combined. Given that these studies are not new or groundbreaking, why is it so many people are obese and disinclined to work out? Quite possibly the era we live in includes fast food, plenty of it and for nearly nothing the cost, and the heavy marketing from diet pill companies trumping quick fixes to weight loss. Instead of sweating it out in the gym or taking the stairs, many turn to diet fads and miracle diet pills, which may give them temporary weight loss but at the risk of jeopardizing their health and inevitably, even more weight gain when the pill is discontinued.

So study after study will show that fitness is essential in daily life, and may prolong life, yet many will turn to drastic dietary measures before hitting the gym. Bangkok is an example of fitness, but it’s more due to necessity than excess as many Bangkokians are more likely to walk than to travel by car. Then again, have you seen the traffic here? What sets Bangkokians apart is their diet, low in fat and portion control being key in their lifestyle. Even though there is a patent trend in obesity in the younger generation due to fast food and Western franchise influences, mortality rate in Thailand is generally lower than that of other Asian nations.

No magic pill, just hard work.

“Blogging can help you feel less isolated, more connected to a community and more satisfied with your friendships, both online and face-to-face, new Australian research has found.” ABC

This is wonderful news! This study shows that blogging actually improves your social life with a greater sense of belonging to a group of like-minded people and feeling more confident. The good news also extends to users of social networking sites, with the study finding than any online interaction makes users “feel less anxious, depressed and stressed.” TechCrunch

The research, from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, found after two months of regular blogging, people felt they had better social support and friendship networks than those who did not blog.

To all the people thinking about starting a blog or have neglected their blog, I say, blog on!