Lifestyle factor
Physical activity and life expectancy
Regular physical activity is one of the most consistently beneficial things for life expectancy, with effects on the heart, metabolism, and many other systems.
What the research suggests
Observational research consistently associates meeting physical activity guidelines with lower all-cause mortality, with active people living several years longer on average than inactive people. Both cardiovascular exercise and muscle-strengthening activity appear to contribute independently, and even modest amounts are associated with benefit compared with being sedentary.
What helps
- Aiming for regular moderate cardio most days
- Adding muscle-strengthening activity twice a week
- Reducing prolonged sitting
- Building activity into daily routine
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How does physical activity affect life expectancy?
Observational research consistently associates meeting physical activity guidelines with lower all-cause mortality, with active people living several years longer on average than inactive people. Both cardiovascular exercise and muscle-strengthening activity appear to contribute independently, and even modest amounts are associated with benefit compared with being sedentary.
What is the single most useful change?
Aiming for regular moderate cardio most days. Sustained changes started earlier tend to have the largest effect, though benefit is associated with change at any age.