Living a long and healthy life is everyone's dream... and with this much exercise, it's possible.

A study found that engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week can reduce the risk of death from all causes by an average of 22%. The mortality-preventing effect of exercise was particularly significant among older adults.

 

Professor David Martinez Gómez's team at the University of Madrid School of Medicine in Spain used health survey databases from the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and Taiwan to track 2,011,186 people aged 20 to 97 for an average of 11.5 years to determine whether they met "physical activity guidelines" and their age-specific mortality risk. During this period, a total of 177,436 deaths occurred.

Physical activity guidelines suggest 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week. The research team noted that while physical activity tends to decline with age, the absolute risk of death increases, and causes of death vary by age, the physical activity guidelines remain consistent.

The analysis found that people who engaged in more than the recommended amount of physical activity per week had a 22% lower risk of death than those who did not exercise. The mortality prevention effect was found to be greater with higher levels of exercise and in older adults.

 

Compared to the group that did not exercise as much as the recommended amount per week, the group that exercised as much as the recommended amount had a 14% lower risk of death, while the group that exercised twice the recommended amount had a 22% lower risk, the group that exercised three times the recommended amount had a 25% lower risk, and the groups that exercised four times and five times the recommended amount had a 26% lower risk.

Additionally, when exercising more than the recommended amount, the reduction in risk of death by age group was 16% for those in their 20s, but 22% for those over 80 years old.

 

The research team explained that the association between physical activity and mortality risk remained consistent across the lifespan, which is in contrast to the association between other factors such as education level, smoking, drinking, weight, high blood pressure, and diabetes and mortality risk, which decreased with age, supporting current guidelines that recommend the same amount of physical activity for all age groups.

"Promoting regular physical activity throughout all stages of adult life is essential for healthy aging and longevity," said study author Professor Gomez.

 

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150 minutes of physical activity per week

It's about 3 hours if you're generous.

If you think about it, you can exercise for 3 hours a week

I think it's possible, but the problem is that it's not being done well.