Here’s How Many Minutes of Exercise Per Week Could Extend Your Life Jillian Wilson - HuffPost Wellness
go to original August 19, 2022

What Happens to Your Body When You Start Exercising Regularly (Tech Insider)

It’s well-known that consistent exercise is good for you, and a new study published in Circulation - the American Heart Association’s scientific journal - underscores this notion.

The study of 116,221 adults found that people who went above and beyond the minimum guidelines for moderate or vigorous physical activity had a lower risk of premature mortality.

The Current Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ current physical activity guidelines recommend that each week, adults get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity, 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity “or an equivalent combination of both,” the study notes.

This study defined moderate physical activity as walking, weightlifting and doing lower-intensity exercise. It categorized exercises like running, bicycling and swimming as vigorous physical activity.

Those Who Worked Out Two to Four Times Beyond the Minimum Lived Longer

Study participants self-reported their leisure time physical activity (so not any physical activity at work or otherwise) via questionnaires over the course of 30 years.

From there, the study reported that those who worked out two to four times over the minimum amount of exercise had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, as well as any other cause.

Specifically, the study reported that those who worked out two to four times above the moderate physical activity recommendations (around 300 to 599 minutes per week) saw the most benefit. Participants had “26% to 31% lower all-cause mortality, 28% to 38% lower [cardiovascular] mortality, and 25% to 27% lower non-[cardiovascular]” mortality, according to the study.

Study participants who worked out two to four times above the vigorous physical activity recommendations (around 150 to 299 minutes per week) were found to have “21% to 23% lower all-cause mortality, 27% to 33% lower [cardiovascular] mortality, and 19% lower non-[cardiovascular] mortality,” the study reported.

These numbers are in comparison to those who reported zero (or almost zero) weekly physical activity.

While committing to weekly exercise is no doubt good for you, it should be noted that since study participants reported their own physical activity there is room for error.

Additionally, the results also only imply an association between more exercise and lower risk of premature death. However, tons of previous research has shown that exercise is extremely beneficial for our health — so it’s not exactly a surprise that the study found a correlation between physical activity and improved longevity.

If the findings motivate you and you’re now interested in trying more intense bicycling or walking for the first time, give it a go.

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