The Irish are the second healthiest inhabitants in the EU, according to a new study by the University of Navarre in Spain.
Only 44 per cent of Irish inhabitants have a sedentary lifestyle, the survey of the EU's 15 member-states shows.
Sweden emerged as the healthiest country with only 43 per cent living sedentary lifestyles.
Close behind the Irish are the Austrians (47 per cent) and the Finns (49 per cent).
The Portuguese are far more likely to loll in front of the TV than head to the gym, making them the laziest people in the EU, while for six out of ten Swedes exercise is vital, according to the study.
One of the authors of the survey, which was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, said that the results should be a warning to people who do not take enough exercise.