IT'S A FACT - If you live a fat and lazy life, you will die younger than you should, so why are you still on the couch?

Shocking study from England reveals two-thirds of middle aged men are overweight.

Most people in middle age are neglecting their health as they worry about other concerns. Nearly all people between the ages of 40 to 60 have poor lifestyle habits, and over two-thirds to three-quarters of men in this category are overweight.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) -- A study performed in England shows that the vast majority of people between the ages of 40 to 60 are neglecting their health. Men are doing particularly bad with nearly all of them overweight. The study was performed by Public Health England and Oxford University.

The data was gathered from an annual health survey collected from 8,000 adults each year. When looking specifically at people between the ages of 40 to 60, they discovered this age group has particularly poor health habits.

At least a third of all men in the age group are obese. Two-thirds are overweight. The blame for this crisis rests on the nature of work and play in England. Men lead sedentary lives, both at home and work. Drinking, heavy food consumption and a lack of sleep exacerbate the problem.

The crisis is so great the government believes it will take decades to resolve.

Doctors say small changes can help reverse the trend. Even moderate exercise, such as walking, has a significant, beneficial impact on health. Giving up surgery beverages, alcohol, and fatty foods can also make a tremendous difference.

The only way to lose weight remains to burn more calories than you consume.

In addition to men in Britain, men in the United States are likewise in poor shape. Many of the factors are the same. Sedentary lifestyle, poor work and eating habits, and a lack of sleep all mean that most American men are overweight.

The ultimate fate for most of these people is an early death, usually by a heart attack. Other conditions such as diabetes are likely to plague the demographic.

All people over 40 are asked to get regular checkups and begin taking their health seriously. By the time many of the preventable aches and pains and conditions of old age set in, it is often too late to do much about them other than taking pills. And many painkilling medications are very bad for the body, clouding judgment, and shortening life.