Adherence
Engaging in leisure-time physical activity of moderate to vigorous intensity (0.1–3.74 MET-h/wk, equivalent to up to 75 minutes of brisk walking per week) is associated with a 1.8-year gain in life expectancy after age 40 compared to no leisure-time activity.
If you currently do no leisure-time exercise, start by aiming for just 75 minutes of brisk walking per week. This low threshold is associated with gaining 1.8 years of life expectancy after age 40 compared to being completely inactive. You do not need to exercise for hours to see significant longevity benefits; consistency at a low intensity is highly effective.
A physical activity level of 0.1–3.74 MET-h/wk, equivalent to brisk walking for up to 75 min/wk, was associated with a gain of 1.8 (95% CI: 1.6–2.0) y in life expectancy relative to no leisure time activity (0 MET-h/wk).
Why this rating
Large pooled cohort analysis of 654,827 individuals with 82,465 deaths, providing high statistical power and robust hazard ratios.
Source
Leisure Time Physical Activity of Moderate to Vigorous Intensity and Mortality: A Large Pooled Cohort Analysis
Steven C. Moore et al. · PLoS Medicine · 2012
DOI 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001335
More from this paper
- Higher levels of leisure-time physical activity (up to 22.5+ MET-h/wk, equivalent to 450+ minutes of brisk walking per week) are associated with greater gains in life expectancy (4.5 years) compared to no activity, with diminishing returns at the highest levels.Strong
- Being physically active (7.5+ MET-h/wk) and normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9) is associated with a 7.2-year gain in life expectancy compared to being inactive and obese (BMI 35.0+).Strong
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
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