Mix of exercise may be linked to longer life

A 30-year US study of about 110,000 people found those who took part in the widest mix of weekly activities had a 19% lower risk of death than people who focused on a single activity.

A long-term US study tracked weekly exercise habits of about 110,000 men and women for 30 years. Researchers reported that people who took part in the widest mix of activities were 19% less likely to die during that period than those who focused on one activity. That association was larger than the effects seen for individual sports such as walking, tennis, rowing or jogging. Experts noted total activity remains important and that combining activities with complementary benefits may be helpful. Key findings: - The study followed more than 110,000 participants (nurses and health professionals) with activity reported every two years over 30 years. - Participants with the greatest variety of weekly activities had a 19% lower risk of death from any cause compared with those who concentrated on a single activity. - Cause-specific risks (cancer, heart disease, lung illnesses and other causes) were reported as 13–41% lower for people with the widest mix of activities. - Benefits appeared to level off after about six hours of moderate activity or three hours of vigorous activity per week. - The study is observational and the authors noted it cannot fully rule out that participants’ underlying health influenced the types of exercise they did. Summary: The research suggests that mixing different types of physical activity was associated with lower overall and cause-specific mortality, while maintaining a high level of total activity remained relevant. The analysis also pointed to an apparent weekly activity range (about six hours moderate or three hours vigorous) after which additional benefits levelled off. Limitations include the study’s observational design and the possibility that health status influenced activity choices. Undetermined at this time.