Research shows that regularly engaging in a variety of physical activities can be a good strategy to extend your lifespan.
The findings, published in the British Medical Journal, suggest that a combination of physical activity, rather than doing more of the same, may lead to a lower risk of death, regardless of the total amount. However, an active lifestyle is still important in its own right.
The research team, which included researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in the US and the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in China, said that although physical activity is consistently associated with improved physical and mental health, the evidence on how different types of physical activity affect a person’s health is inconclusive.
More than 70,700 women and 40,600 men who reported being physically active and free of cardiovascular disease, diabetes or cancer were surveyed. Physical activity ratings were collected over a 30-year follow-up period.
Higher levels of physical activity were associated with lower baseline prevalence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and BMI, higher energy intake, better diet quality, and diversity of physical activity.
Walking was the most frequently used leisure-time physical activity in both groups. Men were more likely to jog or run than women.
The study also found that walking had the lowest risk of death at 17% compared to those who walked the least, while walking up and down stairs had a 10% lower risk of death.
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Walking is one of the most popular activities (Photo: Freepik)
They found that playing tennis, squash, or racquetball was associated with a 15 percent lower risk for those who played the most, compared to a 13 percent lower risk for those who played rarely and weight and strength training.
However, more varied physical activity was associated with a lower risk of death.
When the researchers took physical activity into account, the most extensive physical activity was associated with a 19 percent lower risk of death from any cause, and a 13 to 41 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease, and other causes.
“Habitual engagement in most types of physical activity was associated with lower mortality. High variety of physical activity was inversely associated with mortality, independent of total physical activity level,” the authors write.
“Overall, these data support the idea that engaging in multiple types of physical activity over long periods of time may help extend lifespan,” the researchers said.
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Study participants came from two cohort studies: the Nurses’ Health Study (1986-2018) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2020).