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If all Americans were as active as their most exercise-obsessed compatriots, the average adult could gain five years of life expectancy, according to a new analysis.
It is well known that people who exercise regularly are less at risk of heart disease, diabetes, depression, dementia and a host of other health problems.
But the new study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, highlights the important role physical activity plays in our longevity and the size of the gaps between the most active and least active groups.
For this study, researchers divided American adults aged 40 and older into four groups based on their level of physical activity between 2003 and 2006, then tracked their health over the years.
During this period, the most active people had 73% less risk of dyingall causes combined, than the least active adults.
“If there is anything you can do to reduce your risk of death by more than half, physical activity is extremely powerful,” Lennert Veerman, lead author of the study and professor of health, said in a statement. public at Griffith University, Australia.
The most active adults exercised at a level equivalent to a walking two hours and 40 minutes per day. To catch up, less active adults should add nearly two hours of walking to their daily routine.
But if they did, they could live on average 10.9 years olderaccording to estimates. For adults most resistant to exercise, this translates into an additional life expectancy of 6.3 hours for every hour of walking.
It’s worth noting that an hour’s walk wouldn’t make much difference for the most active adults, who may have already “maxed out” the benefits of exercise, Veermen said.
By increasing physical activity levels, the average life expectancy in the United States would increase from 78,6 ans in 2017 at 83,7 ans.
According to the researchers, these findings highlight the importance of physical exercise for health, especially when it comes to the way communities are designed.
By making cities more accessible on foot and by bike, “we could not only increase longevity, but also reduce pressure on our health systems and on the environment”, according to Mr Veermen.
