How much extra exercise can add years to my life according to the UK Biobank study?

The UK Biobank study suggests that just five extra minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day can help reduce mortality.

What is the recommended weekly physical activity by the World Health Organization?

The World Health Organization recommends adults undertake 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity every week.

Can small changes in sleep and diet impact lifespan like exercise?

Yes, a second study found that small changes in sleep and diet, combined with physical activity, can lead to an extra year of life.

Home / Health / Add 5 Minutes Exercise: Live Longer!

Add 5 Minutes Exercise: Live Longer!

15 Jan

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Summary

Five extra minutes of daily exercise may cut deaths by 10 percent.
Reducing sitting time by one hour may prevent over seven percent of deaths.
A combined healthy lifestyle adds over nine years of good health.

Increasing daily physical activity by just five minutes, or reducing sedentary time by half an hour, may prevent a substantial portion of deaths, according to new research. Findings published in The Lancet suggest these small, achievable changes can significantly improve lifespan. For instance, an extra five minutes of moderate-intensity activity is linked to a 10 percent reduction in mortality for many adults.

Further analysis indicates that cutting sedentary time by a full hour daily could be associated with a 13 percent decrease in all deaths. These insights emerged from a study involving over 135,000 adults followed for eight years across Norway, Sweden, the United States, and the UK Biobank, using device-measured activity data.

A separate study in eClinicalMedicine highlights that integrating healthier sleep habits, physical activity, and diet can also extend life expectancy. The combination of an additional five minutes of sleep and half a serving of vegetables daily could add a year to life for individuals with the poorest habits. Achieving seven to eight hours of sleep, over 40 minutes of daily activity, and a healthy diet may contribute to over nine extra years of life.