These lifestyle changes may reduce your risk of premature death. The review examined 85 studies and 7 million people worldwide, revealing that "regular exercise that increases heart rate and breathing can reduce the risk of premature death from all causes by up to 40%."
Gregor Melke, a senior lecturer at the University of Queensland's School of Public Health in Australia and a co-author of the review, told CNN that "physical activity is more important for long-term health than we previously thought." Melke added that "it's never too late to start being physically active," and that beginning at any stage of life "can lead to a longer, healthier life."
Roy Yu, a PhD student in public health at the University of Queensland, pointed out that age is not a barrier to the health benefits of physical activity. She explained that those who start exercising later in life can reap clear positive effects, including extending their healthy lifespan and reducing their risk of several diseases by 10% to 15%.
Physical activity can extend healthy lifespan by at least 5 years (Free Peak)
Neglecting exercise is as dangerous as smoking and high blood pressure
On November 15, 2024, a day after the British Journal of Sports Medicine published the results of a study showing that "physical activity can extend healthy lifespan by at least 5 years," Dr. Lenert Veermann, the study's lead author and a professor of public health at Griffith University Medical School in Australia, told CNN: "I was surprised to find that the years lost in the US due to low levels of physical activity may rival the losses caused by smoking and high blood pressure." He added that his research was inspired by a 2019 study that found that "the risk of premature death decreased the more physically active the participants were."
Exercise Protects You from the World's Number One Killer
While exercise guidelines vary from country to country, this study adopted the World Health Organization's recommendations of engaging in at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or a combination of both, throughout the week. (Very-intensity exercise, such as jogging or brisk walking, raises your heart rate and causes you to start sweating after just a few minutes), according to the Mayo Clinic.
The researchers noted that "regular aerobic exercise is extremely beneficial for heart disease, the world's number one killer," and found that "compared to people who do little or no physical activity, those who exercised more were nearly 40% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease; their risk of developing cancer was also reduced by 25%."
“The biggest gains in life expectancy occurred when people exercised moderately for at least 300 minutes a week,” said Roy Yu.
She explained that those who exercised regularly had a 22% lower risk of premature death, according to the study. The risk was reduced by 27% for those who engaged in more physical activity during their leisure time. Those who stopped exercising, however, seemed to have lost their momentum toward healthy longevity, “unfortunately,” as they had a similar risk of premature death to those who had been sedentary all along.
Study: Those who exercised regularly had a 22% lower risk of premature death (Free Peak)
The benefits of exercise are unmatched by medication
Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention at the National Center for Health in Denver, who was not involved in the study, says the findings are not surprising because physical activity has a “magical” effect, and exercise reduces risk “in a way that you can’t achieve with medication.”
Adhering to recommended exercise guidelines is ideal, "but it's not the only way to improve health," says Milke, explaining that "even people who haven't reached the recommended levels but have maintained a certain level of activity throughout are still less likely to die prematurely than those who remain inactive." Therefore, Milke emphasizes that "the most important thing is to keep your body moving and find ways to enjoy being active."
Freeman advises starting slowly—if you're new to exercise—and gradually increasing your activity to brisk walking or cycling up to 30 minutes a day. Then, add resistance to your workout by lifting some weights "to take your exercise to the next level by combining cardio with strength training."
How does physical activity reduce the risk of death?
Dr. Dawn Warner Kirchner, a cardiologist at the Baltimore Heart Center in Maryland, tells Women's Health magazine that it helps prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes, two major risk factors for heart disease. "One of the most important benefits of physical activity or regular exercise is protection against death from any cause."
"Physical activity can also lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation in the body, and improve blood lipid levels—all of which improve overall cardiovascular health," adds Jennifer Wong, MD, director of cardiology at MemorialCare Cardiovascular Institute in Fountain Valley, California.
Dr. Kirchner reiterates that regular exercise "boosts mental health and reduces the risk of cognitive decline," and recommends regular physical activity "as an essential part of living a successful old age." Dr. Bert Mandelbaum, a sports medicine and orthopedic surgeon, also contributes to this discussion.