According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, practicing an exercise routine that combines weight lifting with performing an aerobic activity can reduce the risk of death from any cause, with the exception of cancer
According to this research, the risk of dying from any cause of people who practice both exercises in combination is between 41% and 47% lower than that of those who lead an inactive lifestyle.
By themselves, weight lifting is associated with up to 22% lower odds of death from any cause, while aerobic exercise is associated with up to 34% lower odds of death from any cause.
Practicing sports on a regular basis is closely related to longevity. Numerous studies over time have shown that physical exercise can not only improve people’s physical and mental health, but also also reduce the risk of suffering from certain diseases related to a sedentary lifestyle and increase life expectancy.
The World Health Organization (WHO), which estimates that around five million deaths a year could be prevented by more exercise, recommends getting at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week or, failing that, between 75 to 150 minutes of active aerobic exercise in order to enjoy good health.
Of all the exercises that can be practiced, however, it is known that there is a routine that can further extend people’s longevity. This was demonstrated by a recent study carried out by researchers from the National Cancer Institute in Maryland (United States) and the University of Iowa and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM), a bimonthly magazine specializing in sports science and medicine.
What is the exercise that can extend life?
According to this work, practicing an exercise routine that combines lifting weights with performing an aerobic activity, such as swimming, running or cycling, could reduce the risk of death from any cause except cancer.
Specifically, the study, which has been carried out on the basis of data from more than 150,000 people aged between 60 and 70, suggests that the risk of dying from any cause of people who practice both exercises in combination is between 41% and 47% lower than that of those who lead an inactive lifestyleexcept for cancer.
Although this routine is the most effective for increasing longevity, research has also found evidence showing that weight lifting and aerobic exercise can improve life expectancy by themselves.
In the case of weight lifting, the study suggests that this exercise is associated with up to a 22% lower chance of death from any cause, although this figure varies depending on the frequency with which the exercise is practiced. In addition, the researchers suggest that women would benefit more from this type of exercise than men.
In the case of aerobic exercise, on the other hand, the research shows that those for whom the risk of death from any of those who practice these sports is between 24% and 34% lower than that of those who do not practice any type of sport.
The study, which is observational, has not been able to establish the specific causes for these benefits. Still, the researchers suggest that this type of exercise strengthens the bones and makes the body more “slender”which would improve the quality of life for the elderly.
In addition, they point out that their conclusions are in line with current recommendations, which recommend combining aerobic exercises with weight lifting to obtain greater health benefits, and that there are other muscle-strengthening exercises that could have the same benefitssuch as pilates, push-ups, or squats.