Greeks use car to cover even short distances, survey finds

Four in five Greek drivers use their cars to cover even short trips of up to 4 kilometers, in contrast to drivers from other European countries who tend to walk such distances, a survey has found.

"The most important consequence of the special love that Greeks show for the car is the voluntary deterioration of drivers' health, due to the prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle and the resulting physical inactivity," said Yiannis Koutedakis, professor emeritus in applied physiology, commenting on the findings.

He said that every year, approximately six million people worldwide die from causes associated with physical inactivity, such as a weak musculoskeletal system, chronic diseases (cardiovascular, various types of cancer, metabolic syndrome, etc.), as well as from a decrease in memory skills or mental disorders.

On the contrary, by choosing to walk instead of...