DUBAI — After making the top five recently as among the world’s most obese, Saudi Arabia has earned a top three spot as one the world’s laziest countries. Only Malta and Switzerland were reportedly lazier than the ultra-conservative Gulf country.



The study, published by Lancet Medical Journal, found that Saudi is the third laziest in the world, reporting that around 70 percent of all adults in the country fail to get any exercise of any kind. Local daily newspaper Al-Watan said that lack of exercise and obesity can lead to fatal diseases.



The report, which used data from the World Health Organization, suggested that “the couch potato lifestyle” kills about five million people worldwide a year, making inactive lifestyles comparable to smoking in terms of the effect on health. – Agencies