Exercise intensity and life expectancy.
“I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.”
― Mark Twain
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES OFTEN RECOMMEND a minimum of 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate physical activity, 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both.
But is following these recommendations a key to a lower risk of early mortality? And you and I are concerned about healthspan, the time of life in which we are healthy.
An analysis of over 116,000 adults from two large prospective cohorts, including the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, provides some answers about physical activity and the risk of early mortality.
Regular physical activity improves health.
You probably know that being physically active can help us have healthier and happier lives. Move regularly, and you will likely lower your chances of developing several adverse chronic conditions, including certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Physical activity, heart disease, and diabetes risk reduction
We have early examples of how physical activity reduces coronary heart disease risk. A remarkable epidemiological study published in 1953 in The Lancet showed that physically active London bus conductors had lower heart disease rates than less active bus drivers.
The American Diabetes Association reminds us, “We should prescribe physical activity and exercise to all individuals with diabetes as part of the management of glycemic [blood sugar] control and overall health.”
Physical activity and mood
Moreover, we know that physical activity can boost our mood and self-esteem. Running daily for 15 minutes (or walking for an hour) can help us to outrun depression.
Thinking about moving to enhance your thinking or cognition? Some benefits of physical activity occur right after a session of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. I use walking to reduce my risk of anxiety and depression and help me sleep better.
Physical activity and cancer risk reduction
We have strong evidence that higher levels of physical activity are associated with a lower risk of several malignancies, including breast, colon, esophagus, stomach, kidney, bladder, and uterus (endometrial) cancer.
For instance, a 2016 analysis of breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer showed the most active individuals to have a more than one-third (37 percent) reduction in cancer-specific mortality. Other studies have shown an even greater reduction of up to 50 percent.
You may lower your risk of other cancer types, but the evidence is less strong.
“A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.”
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
Physical activity cuts early death risk.
Being physically active helps us be happier and healthier. Avoiding chronic disease allows us to have a longer health span.
Now we have a new study that analyzed the association between long-term physical activity intensity and early death risk. Researchers analyzed data from two large cohorts of subjects, including the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, collected from 1988–2018.
All completed questionnaires about their physical activity, doing surveys up to 15 times. Participants tracked the average number of hours they spent on activities such as walking, jogging, running, biking, swimming, aerobic exercise, lower-intensity exercise, and weightlifting.
Listen to study author Dr. Dong Hoon Lee: “Many can get health benefits by performing the recommended physical activity (150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity weekly), so it is important to stay active.” He adds:
For those looking for the optimal health benefits from exercise, [our study suggests] they can aim for higher activity levels (at least two times the recommended level).
You probably want specifics, so here you go:
Researchers observed that the most benefit for reducing early death appeared among people who reported around 150 to 300 minutes per week of vigorous physical activity, 300 to 600 minutes per week of moderate physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both.
My take – Exercise intensity and life expectancy
The study was not a clinical trial, so did the exercise cause longer life, or did other factors associated with exercise result in life extension? We exercisers tend to be healthier in ways the researchers did not track, so please take the study with a grain of salt.
Start where you are. Are you a very slow walker but have the physical capacity to introduce small bursts of fast walking? Go for it. If you are a couch potato, how about getting up and walking every thirty minutes for a minimum of 75 steps?
Find any activity that you enjoy. Some love groups, others prefer individual approaches. You do you. Sometimes I listen to music as I walk in a park. Last week, a staff member appeared surprised when she heard a radio station in my office playing a Bach Prelude and Fugue for piano, and when she asked what it was, I offered the piece, composer, and player. I guess I listen a lot!
Oh, it was Sir Andras Schiff, one of my favorite pianists. Take a listen to this magnificent human being (playing one of my current pieces):
If you get a chance, read his backstory. Remarkable. Schiff was born in Budapest, the only child of two Holocaust survivors. Thank you for joining me today in this look at exercise intensity and life expectancy.
The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you seek medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog.
