Diet may be bigger factor than exercise in long-term health

People are often warned that if they want to avoid high health insurance costs in the future, as well as serious medical problems, they need to exercise and maintain a proper diet.

Now, researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health have reported that for adolescents, calorie consumption is a greater factor in obesity and other medical issues than physical activity is. This runs counter to a common perception that few young people get regular exercise because they are preoccupied with computer games and other electronic devices.

"During the recent decade, U.S. adolescents had greater access to TV, but significantly fewer of them watched TV for three or more hours per day. In addition, daily physical education attendance rates improved along with the use of physical education class in engaging in physical activity," said Dr. Youfa Wang, who went on to cite "considerable differences" in findings based on factors like ethnicity and age.

A growing number of insurers are providing incentives for people to maintain a healthy lifestyle and lower their likelihood of being diagnosed with a chronic condition like heart disease or diabetes.

Some of these incentives range from employer-based health insurance wellness programs to potential discounts for people who meet various health goals.