How much exercise do I need to live longer?
The biggest health leap comes from just a little exercise. Going from nothing to 150 minutes per week gives a 31% lower chance of dying early; beyond that the benefit grows somewhat further but then levels off.
The biggest gain comes simply from starting. People who exercise but still fall short of the official guideline already have a 20% lower chance of dying early than people who do nothing at all. That is a larger gain than any subsequent step up.
The guideline is 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, such as brisk walking or cycling, or 75 minutes of more vigorous activity. People who reach this level have a 31% lower risk of dying than someone who is inactive. Earlier studies found that getting enough exercise was linked to one to more than two extra years of life at age eighty.
More exercise helps further, but the benefit levels off. The sweet spot is around 450 to 750 minutes of moderate activity per week, at which point the risk of dying is up to 39% lower. Beyond that the benefit does not increase, but a high amount of exercise is not harmful either.
You do not need to plan exercise in long blocks. Short, separate bouts of one to ten minutes are already linked to a 34 to 52% lower risk of early death, compared with people whose activity bouts are almost always shorter than one minute.
For older adults, a mix of fitness training, strength training, and balance exercises delivers the most benefit. Regular exercise after cancer also appears to reduce the risk of the disease returning, though that evidence is largely based on people followed over time and is still limited.
All claims are based on studies that followed people over time, not on controlled experiments with death as the outcome. This means other factors, such as existing illnesses at the start of a study, may influence the results. The strongest figures come from one large combined analysis. The evidence for older adults more likely points to a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
How much exercise per week lowers your risk of dying?
Even a quarter of an hour of exercise a day makes a measurable difference; the biggest gain comes from going from nothing to something, and those who also add strength training do best.
How much longer do you live from fifteen minutes of exercise a day?
Just fifteen minutes of moderate exercise a day is associated with an average of 3 years of longer life expectancy. Doing more yields more benefit, but even this minimum makes a measurable difference.
How many extra years of life does regular walking provide?
Regular walking is associated with two to six extra years of life, with the greatest gain for people who currently barely move. Even half an hour per day makes a measurable difference.
Is 75 minutes of exercise per week already enough?
75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week already delivers close to the maximum benefit for your lifespan. On top of that, make sure you do not sit for too long at a stretch during the day, as that is a separate risk.
What is VO2max and how important is it for living longer?
A higher VO2max is strongly associated with a longer life, though exercise itself is probably at least as important as the number. Regular movement, even light activity, pays off at every age.
What does your VO2max say about how fast you are ageing?
A higher VO2max is strongly associated with lower mortality and a more favourable biological age, but is more of a gauge of your lifestyle than an independent switch for longevity. Reducing body fat and moving more, including gently, delivers the greatest health benefit.