Walking 5 Minutes Longer Each Day Can Prevent Early Death
Just Five Extra Minutes of Walking daily Can Extend Your Life, Study Finds
Adding as little as five minutes of physical activity to your daily routine can substantially lower your risk of mortality, according to a new study analyzing data from over 135,000 adults.
study Details and Findings
Researchers analyzed data collected from 135,286 adults with an average age of 63 years, residing in norway, Sweden, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Participants wore accelerometers to precisely track their physical activity levels. The study,published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine on January 16,2026,revealed a clear correlation between even small increases in daily activity and reduced mortality risk.
The research demonstrated that increasing daily physical activity by just five minutes was associated with a 4% reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality. This suggests that even modest lifestyle changes can have a substantial impact on longevity.
Implications for Public Health
These findings reinforce existing recommendations for regular physical activity, but highlight that even small amounts of exercise can be beneficial. The study suggests that public health initiatives should focus on encouraging individuals to incorporate short bursts of activity into their daily lives, rather than solely emphasizing longer, more strenuous workouts.
As stated by Dr. Kari Anne Viksund, lead author of the study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, “Any amount of physical activity is better than none, and even small increases can have a significant impact on health.”
Source: Viksund, K.A., et al.”Association of Daily Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity With Mortality.” British Journal of Sports Medicine, January 16, 2026.