Physical Activity and Lower Mortality Risk in Adults
Move more, Live Longer: New Study Reveals lifesaving Benefits of Physical Activity
Starting or maintaining physical activity at any stage of adulthood can significantly slash your risk of premature death, according to a comprehensive new meta-analysis published in the British Journal of sports Medicine.The research highlights that even modest increases in activity offer substantial survival benefits, underscoring the principle that “some physical activity is always better than none.”
The study, which pooled data from numerous investigations, found that individuals who increased their physical activity levels from being inactive to meeting recommended guidelines experienced a 22% lower risk of dying from any cause. Those who boosted their leisure-time physical activity saw an even greater reduction, with a 27% lower likelihood of mortality.
For those already active,maintaining or increasing their activity levels below the recommended weekly amount still yielded meaningful health advantages. This reinforces the crucial message that consistent movement, irrespective of intensity, contributes to a longer life.
The benefits of physical activity were particularly pronounced for cardiovascular disease. consistently active individuals, or those who became active, were around 40% less likely to die from cardiovascular issues compared to those who remained sedentary.While the link between activity and reduced cancer mortality was also observed, the evidence in this area remained less conclusive, with consistently active individuals showing a 25% lower risk of death from cancer.
The analysis also revealed that meeting the recommended weekly physical activity levels was associated with a 30-40% lower risk of death from all causes. However, exceeding these recommendations, while still offering a small additional reduction in risk, did not provide the same proportional benefit as reaching the baseline recommended amount.
“Our results emphasized the importance of physical activity across adulthood, indicating that initiating it at any point in adulthood may provide survival benefits,” stated the researchers. Thay further emphasized that sustained activity offers greater advantages than intermittent engagement, suggesting that future interventions should focus not only on encouraging inactive individuals to start moving but also on supporting active people to maintain their routines.
While the study acknowledges limitations, such as reliance on subjective assessments of physical activity in many of the included studies and a limited number of studies examining cumulative activity or cancer deaths, the public health implications are clear. The findings strongly advocate for public health initiatives that promote physical activity throughout the lifespan, recognizing its profound impact on longevity and overall well-being.
Source: Yu,R., et al. (2025). Physical activity trajectories and accumulation over adulthood and their associations with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2024-109122