Mixed
Meeting the 2018 physical activity guidelines (≥150 min moderate or ≥75 min vigorous aerobic activity plus ≥2 days muscle strengthening) is associated with a significantly reduced risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in US adults.
To maximize longevity, aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity (like brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (like running) per week, combined with muscle-strengthening exercises on two or more days. Doing both provides the strongest protection against death from all causes, including heart disease and cancer. If you can only do one, aerobic activity offers greater benefits, but adding resistance training significantly boosts your survival odds.
Adults who engage in leisure time aerobic and muscle strengthening activities at levels recommended by the 2018 physical activity guidelines for Americans show greatly reduced risk of all cause and cause specific mortality.
Why this rating
Large prospective cohort (n=479,856) with long follow-up (median 8.75 years) and rigorous adjustment for confounders, though observational design limits causal inference.
Source
Recommended physical activity and all cause and cause specific mortality in US adults: prospective cohort study
Min Zhao et al. · BMJ · 2020
DOI 10.1136/bmj.m2031
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