HOW NOT TO USE STATISTICS

Newspaper item May 10th 2006:

REGULAR EXERCISE EXTENDS LIFETIME
Half an hour of moderate exercise a day can increase your life expectancy, according to health experts. As part of Move for Health Day, the World Health Organisation said that the expected extra life expectancy is between 3 and 5 years on
average, compared to those who took little or no
exercise.

Good grief! Who the hell needs 3-5 extra years? The reason for taking a reasonable amount of regular exercise is to feel better for up to 70 years and most particularly to feel well in the final period of life - even if it kills you 20 years earlier than if you took none at all. The worrying thing here is the use of the phrase 'health experts'. Clearly, whoever they are, their mental health is suspect, not to mention their expertise, if they think that is the way to sell Move for Health Day to the world.