These killers that are more serious, determined, more stealthy and deadly than any terrorist group the world has ever encountered. But World governments are hell-bent on focusing on fighting terrorism; while a silent epidemic of obesity and other "lifestyle" diseases are killing millions of people. Global terrorism is a real threat but poses far less risk than heart disease, cancer and diabetes that account for 60 percent of the world's deaths.

These "big three" terrorists kill more than 2,600 Americans per day, creating sorrow and sadness to families every day of every week. The World Health Organization estimates that 388 million people will die from chronic illness over the next decade and this is not likely to improve unless urgent action is taken. This action can only come from governments and big business to avert millions of premature deaths due to chronic disease.

The extensive medical services that will be needed in the future to care for this epidemic of sick people will be unaffordable to even the richest nations in the world. Health care systems in developing countries will be overwhelmed sending economies to the wall. These facts are causing many governments to simple ignore this looming threat. It is well known that these diseases are preventable, how is it that we have allowed ourselves to become so unhealthy?

It doesn't help much that our modern technology driven society has removed most physical activity from our lives. We have access to food, shelter and heat without us hardly having to lift a finger. How can it be that we have created these labor saving devices but have neglected to consider that our bodies need this "work" or "manual labor" to stay healthy? When this essential movement is removed and not replaced with intentional physical exercise we begin a downward spiral of declining health.

Without the physical "work" to maintain strength, between 300-500 grams of muscle tissue is lost per year. This change in body composition not only siphons away our strength, but lowers our metabolism and weakens our immune system exposing us to disease and illness.

Up until recently the scientific and medical communities has taken muscle strength and mass for granted. The steady loss of muscle as one gets older didn't even have a name until 1988. In the coming years, sarcopenia is predicted to be one of the biggest health problems the world faces. It is suddenly a very hot topic in aging research as it has a devastating effect on the quality of the last 10 -20 years of a person's life.

One of the toughest problems facing public health officials is how to get the nearly 70 percent of the world's population who don't regularly exercise to start moving.

By now everyone knows exercise is good for them, but many don't realize it's a matter of life and death. In other words do it or die!

Within developing countries, shifts to urbanization, non-manual labor, high calorie foods, and higher levels of inactivity and sedentary living are all contributing to this growing problem. Unless we can re-design an environment and develop a lifestyle that systematically restores exercise to our daily routines, this burgeoning, self inflicted world health problem will continue to increase.