It’s never too late to start exercising. That is the main conclusion from a large-scale analysis, which recently found that regular exercise in adults is associated with a 20-40% reduction in mortality risk, with the most active adults seeing the greatest benefits.
Published on July 10 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the study analyzed data from 85 studies, each involving between 357 and 6.5 million participants. Researchers aimed to understand how different patterns and timing of physical activity throughout adulthood impact long-term health. They also found that adults who transition from inactive to active lifestyles can reduce their risk of death from heart disease, cancer, and other health conditions by around 22%.
While not all forms of physical activity were equally effective, the findings emphasize that even taking up exercise later in life can offer meaningful protection against early death.
Keeping active is not only one of the best ways to ensure longevity, but it also has a powerful impact on improving your quality of life during that extended lifespan. Believe it or not, certain exercise habits are strongly linked to reaching an advanced age. What's refreshing is how simple these research-backed habits are to incorporate into everyday life, yet their benefits can be felt for decades into the future.
Intrigued? Click on the following gallery to discover the exercise habits that could make all the difference to the length of your life.