Unlock a Longer Life: How an Active Lifestyle at Any Age Can Boost Your Longevity, According to New Study

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Staying active throughout adulthood can greatly reduce your risk of dying from various causes, particularly heart disease. A comprehensive review of 85 studies reveals that regular physical activity can cut mortality risk by 30-40%. Even those who start exercising later in life can enjoy a 20-25% decrease in their risk. This study was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

The researchers conclude that it’s never too late to adopt a more active lifestyle. Currently, they recommend that adults aim for 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise weekly, or 75-150 minutes of vigorous activity, or a mix of both.

Notably, most existing guidelines are based on limited snapshots of physical activity rather than long-term patterns. The researchers aimed to explore how different activity levels over time relate to mortality risk.

They analyzed studies that assessed physical activity at multiple points, including 85 studies published in English up to April 2024, with participant numbers ranging from 357 to over 6 million. Out of these, 59 looked at long-term activity patterns, 16 focused on benefits across different activity levels, and 11 examined cumulative exercise effects on mortality risk.

From their findings, the researchers saw that those who remained active had a 30-40% lower risk of death overall. Those who moved from inactivity to regular activity had a 22% lower risk, while increasing leisure-time activity reduced the risk by about 27%.

Interestingly, becoming inactive did not raise death risk, suggesting that maintaining activity is crucial. The link between high activity levels and lower mortality was clearer for heart disease than for cancer. Consistent exercisers were about 40% less likely to die from heart disease compared to those who were always inactive.

However, the data regarding specific causes of death, particularly cancer, remains unclear. The overall conclusion is that regular physical activity, even below recommended levels, offers significant health benefits; some movement is always better than none.

The findings remind us that leading an active lifestyle can have a lasting impact on our health. With rising rates of inactivity and related health issues, this research highlights the importance of starting or maintaining a fitness routine at any age. For more information on exercise recommendations, you can visit [CDC’s Physical Activity Guidelines](https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm).

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Physical Activity, Active Lifestyle, Adulthood, Lower Risk, Cardiovascular Disease, Disease Prevention, Exercise Benefits, Health Improvement, Mortality Rate, Healthy Living, Fitness, Heart Health