EXERCISING is often seen as a lifestyle choice, the preserve of those who have the time and money to enjoy a gym membership or other physical activity.

However, we all owe it to ourselves to do at least some exercise to keep ourselves healthy. And now it transpires that we also owe it to the public purse, as well.

The latest figures reveal that more than half of the people who live in Bradford are completely inactive, doing no exercise whatsoever. And this is having a very real effect not only on their bodies but on the rest of us – it apparently costs the district almost £25 million every year in healthcare.

Inactivity can be responsible for people developing such conditions as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer and, of course, obesity – all of which need treating by the NHS... and which can also prove fatal. The fact is, we don’t need to spend much money to drastically improve the amount of exercise we do - in fact, it can cost nothing at all.

Even taking a brisk walk every day can dramatically improve our personal health, and there are relatively cheap exercise DVDs and home activity programmes which can help. Find out what your local community centre has on offer, and if there are groups in your area which offer participation sports or exercise events.

We don’t have to transform overnight into Olympic athletes, but we do need to do something to arrest the decline in health standards due to lack of exercise. The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about: increased financial strain on the NHS and a population flirting with illness and death.