Walking, cycling and other heart-pumping activities are well known for supporting good health.
New Australian research suggests that adding strength exercises may provide even greater protection against several major chronic diseases.
Researchers led by the University of Queensland followed more than 8,000 adults living in Brisbane for nine years. They examined whether people who regularly did both aerobic exercise and muscle-strengthening activities were less likely to develop long-term health problems.
The research was published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. The participants were between 40 and 64 years old and completed five health surveys between 2007 and 2016.
Aerobic exercise includes activities that raise the heart rate and make breathing faster, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming and cycling. These activities improve the fitness of the heart and lungs and have long been a major focus of public health advice.
Strength exercise works the body in a different way. It challenges muscles against resistance and can include lifting weights, using resistance bands or doing body-weight movements such as squats, lunges, push-ups and sit-ups.
Australian physical activity guidelines encourage adults to do moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days. They also recommend muscle-strengthening exercise on at least two days each week.
Despite that advice, strength training is often less visible in health campaigns than walking, running or other aerobic activities. The new study suggests this part of the exercise message deserves more attention.
About half of the people in the study met the recommended level for aerobic exercise. Only 24% met both the aerobic and muscle-strengthening recommendations, while about 30% met neither guideline.
The differences in later health were notable. People who consistently met both exercise recommendations were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure than people who met neither recommendation.
Among adults who did both forms of exercise, the researchers reported a 50% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes and a 24% lower risk of developing hypertension. They also found a 23% lower risk of cancer.
The results suggested there could also be benefits for heart disease and some types of cancer. However, the strength of the evidence differed across diseases, so these findings should not be interpreted as proof that exercise prevents every case.
Dr. Gregore Mielke from UQ’s School of Public Health said muscle-strengthening activity appeared to provide health benefits beyond aerobic exercise alone. He believes public health programs should encourage adults to include strength work as a regular part of their week.
There are several reasons strength exercise may help. Maintaining muscle supports the body’s ability to use blood sugar, which is particularly important for reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Stronger muscles can also help people remain active as they age. Muscle mass naturally declines over time, and preserving strength can make everyday activities easier while supporting balance, mobility and independence.
Aerobic exercise brings its own benefits by improving circulation, heart fitness and the body’s ability to use oxygen. Combining the two types of activity may therefore protect health through several different pathways rather than relying on one form of exercise alone.
The findings are especially relevant in middle age, when chronic diseases become increasingly common. Australia’s 2022 National Health Survey found that about 60% of adults aged 45 to 64 had at least one chronic condition, while roughly 30% had more than one.
The study has an important strength in following a large community group for many years. That allowed researchers to examine exercise habits before many participants developed the diseases of interest.
However, the study was observational, so it cannot prove that exercise alone caused the lower disease rates. People who regularly exercise may also differ in diet, smoking, income, medical care and other habits that influence health.
Exercise was also reported by participants rather than continuously measured by devices. People’s routines can change over time, and self-reported activity is not always completely accurate.
Even with these limits, the study supports existing advice that a healthy exercise routine should include more than cardio. For many middle-aged adults, adding two regular strength sessions to aerobic activity may be a practical way to support long-term health and healthy aging.
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Source: University of Queensland.
