Exercise & Longevity

Although regular exercise increases longevity, fewer than ¼ of all American adults get the CDC recommended amount of physical activity per week: 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, plus at least 2 days of strength training activities.

Researchers examined data from 412,413 American adults (55% female, 27-61 years old) and compared physical activity with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality from 1997-2019.  They discovered that regular exercise, compared with inactivity, was associated with a 24% lower risk of all-cause mortality for both women and men. 

When compared with men, women derived greater gains in both all-cause and cardiovascular risk reductions, from the equivalent dose of exercise.  Although fewer women (32.5%) than men (43.1%) exercised regularly, women got a 6% greater reduction in risk of death than men from the same amount of weekly exercise.  And, although only 1 in 5 of these women regularly participated in strength training, they had a reduction in cardiovascular mortality of 30%.

Takeaway:  To increase longevity, we all need exercise, including strength training.  Women, who may put the needs of others before their own, should invest in the health benefits of both aerobic exercise and strength training.

Well-being is a journey, not a quick fix.

Source

Hongwei Ji, et al., Sex Differences in Association of Physical Activity with All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Feb. 2024, Sex Differences in Association of Physical Activity With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality | Journal of the American College of Cardiology (jacc.org).

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