Getting up an extra hour earlier for a morning jog during the summer months is hard enough

However you should try and keep up the jogging habit as scientific research has revealed that regular physical activity influences many aspects of human health, treating a number of life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and dementia.

Many people are aware that physical activity can help to burn calories but not many people know that it can also help to create lean body tissue, which is particularly beneficial when we get older and muscle loss limits independence. Dr David Stensel, from the University of Loughborough, presented research findings to show that, alongside this, being active can also help fight hunger, actually suppressing appetite after intense exercise and increasing levels of the satiety hormones that contribute to a sense of fullness.

Despite the health benefits from leading an active lifestyle, many people are still ignoring advice.

Bridget Benelam, senior nutrition scientist at the BNF, said, ‘Official recommendations are that all adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate level physical activity each week and that children should be active for at least an hour each day. At the moment it is estimated that only about 39 per cent of men and 29 per cent of women achieve these levels and that although children tend to be quite active when young, levels drops significantly as they grow into teenagers.’

By Lauren King