Staying active throughout adulthood could lower your risk of death by 30% to 40%, and even starting to move more later in life can still reduce that risk by 20% to 25%, according to a large analysis of existing research.
The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, supports the idea that it’s never too late to benefit from exercise.
Health guidelines currently suggest that adults aim for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity.
While these recommendations are helpful, most past studies only measured physical activity at a single point in time. This may not reflect how people’s habits change over the years.
To learn more, researchers reviewed 85 studies involving anywhere from a few hundred to over 6 million people. These studies tracked physical activity levels at two or more time points. The researchers grouped the studies based on how they measured physical activity patterns and health outcomes over time.
Their combined analysis showed that people who remained physically active throughout adulthood had the greatest benefit. These individuals were about 30% to 40% less likely to die from any cause. People who increased their physical activity levels after being less active saw a 20% to 25% lower risk of death.
Those who moved from being inactive to active had a 22% lower risk of dying compared to those who stayed inactive. People who became more active in their leisure time had a 27% lower risk of death. However, people who stopped being active didn’t see any added protection.
The study also found that being active was more strongly linked to lower risk of death from heart disease than from cancer. People who stayed active over time were about 40% less likely to die from heart disease and 25% less likely to die from cancer, compared to those who were always inactive.
Interestingly, doing more exercise than the recommended amount only brought a small additional benefit. But the researchers emphasized that even lower amounts of physical activity — less than the weekly guidelines — were still linked with better health and lower risk of death. In short, any amount of physical activity is better than none.
The researchers also found that simply meeting the weekly exercise guidelines was tied to a 30% to 40% reduction in the risk of dying from any cause. However, they noted that more research is needed to confirm these findings, especially for cancer-related deaths and long-term activity patterns.
There are some limitations to the study. Most of the included studies relied on self-reported physical activity, which may not always be accurate. Also, there were fewer studies that focused on long-term cumulative activity or causes of death other than heart disease.
Despite these limitations, the study offers a strong message: Starting and maintaining physical activity at any point in adulthood can improve your chances of living longer. The researchers suggest that future health programs should not only encourage inactive people to become more active but also help active people keep up their good habits.
If you care about wellness, please read studies about how ultra-processed foods and red meat influence your longevity, and why seafood may boost healthy aging.
For more health information, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
The study is published in British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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