News: Study finds secret to a longer life
Updated: Nov. 07, 2012
Want to increase your life expectancy by as much as 4.5 years? It could be as simple as participating in
Want to increase your life expectancy by as much as 4.5 years? It could be as simple as participating in leisurely physical activity, according to a Nov. 6 study published in te journal PLos Medicine.
Researchers examined data from more than 650,000 adults, and found that life expectancy for those who reported getting at least 2.5 hours of moderately intense physical activity each week (or 1.25 hours at vigorous intensity) was approximately 3.4 years longer. Those who got double the level of physical activity recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services gained 4.2 years of life.
The study found leisure-time physical activity, even at low levels of activity, to be associated with longer life expectancy, since people who only got half the recommended level of physical activity still added 1.8 years to their life.
"Our findings highlight the important contribution that leisure-time physical activity in adulthood can make to longevity," study author Steven Moore said in a press release.
How many hours of exercise do you get each week? Would you exercise for longer if it could lengthen your life expectancy?
Related:
‘ 10 easy ways to increase your life expectancy
‘ Is this the secret to staying disease-free for life?
‘ 5 ways to make your heart live longer
