According to a study conducted by a team of researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, living an active lifestyle could add up to 5.3 years to an average adult’s lifespan.
Researchers used data from the Tecumseh Study, a study conducted in the 1950s and 1960s that tracked the health and lifestyle of over 10,000 adults, including their physical activity levels, diet, and other health-related factors.
The study’s findings suggested that people who engaged in regular physical activity, such as walking, cycling, or swimming, were more likely to live longer and healthier lives than those who were less active. In fact, the researchers found that every additional hour of moderate-intensity physical activity per day was associated with a 17% reduced risk of death from all causes.
Moreover, the study also found that people who engaged in more vigorous physical activity, such as running or playing sports, had an even greater reduction in their risk of death, with a 22% reduction per additional hour of vigorous activity per day.
To put these findings into perspective, the study suggested that if the average adult increased their physical activity level to just 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day, they could potentially add up to 5.3 years to their expected lifespan.
The study’s lead author emphasized the importance of prioritizing physical activity in one’s lifestyle, stating that “even small increases in physical activity can have a significant impact on one’s health and longevity.”