Take a hike

WALKING for two and a half hours each week could increase your life span by seven years.

A study, by experts from the US government’s medical research agency and Harvard University, found even half of that is beneficial, with 75 minutes of brisk walking a week enough to extend life by almost two years.

The lives of more than 600,000 men and women aged 40 and over were analysed and it was found that people of a healthy weight who didn’t exercise could expect to die 3.1 years earlier than obese people who stayed active, but the biggest gains were seen in people of a healthy weight where weekly moderate exercise for two and a half hours extended life by more than seven years.