Researchers from Griffith University reached this conclusion using a predictive model aimed at assessing the impact of physical activity on life expectancy. To do this, they analyzed data from individuals aged 40 and older, collected between 2003 and 2006, and compared it to mortality statistics for the US population in 2017. Their goal was to determine how different levels of physical activity could affect longevity.
A risk of mortality reduced by 73%!
The results are edifying: the most active people in the cohort saw their mortality risk decrease by 73% compared to those who exerted themselves the least physically. “If everyone moved as much as the most active 25% of the population, Americans over 40 could live on average 5.3 years longer,” the researchers say in their study.
But you don’t need to exhaust yourself at the gym or spend entire afternoons at the pool to feel these benefits. People who move the least would only have to walk an extra hour a day to give themselves up to six hours of extra life. “This is not unreasonable since 25% of the (US) population already does it. It could be any type of exercise, but it would roughly equate to just under three hours of walking per day,” Professor Lennert Veerman, lead author of the study, said in a statement. Note that, for serious athletes, an additional hour of walking will not change much, because they already have sufficient physical activity.
Effects (even) more beneficial than we thought
According to researchers, the beneficial effects of physical activity are such that they could neutralize the harmful effects of smoking. If each cigarette reduces life expectancy by 11 minutes, as a previous study has claimed, moving regularly would not only reverse this effect but also reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as stroke, heart problems and certain cancers.
In summary, whether you’re a seasoned athlete or simply want to be more active, this study shows that every physical effort counts. Establishing a sports routine, even a light one, can have a significant impact on your health and your life expectancy. It would therefore be a shame to deprive yourself of it.