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MEXICO CITY (AP) — More than half of Mexican adults don't get regular exercise, a worrisome figure in a country with high rates of obesity and diabetes, a study published Wednesday found.
The National Statistics Institute said only 43.6 percent of Mexicans exercise or practice sports regularly, compared to 51.4 percent in the United States and 54 percent in Canada. The main reasons given for not exercising are a lack of time and exhaustion after work.
The study said that almost two-thirds of the Mexicans who don't exercise are women and that less educated Mexicans are less likely to exercise.
Mexico is among the fattest countries in the world. Just under one-third of adults are obese, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.
Last year, Mexico's lawmakers approved a new tax on junk food as part of the government's campaign to fight obesity. The move came a little over a day after legislators agreed to put a tax on soft drinks. Mexicans drink an average of 163 liters (43 gallons) of soft drinks annually.
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