2026-01-22 11:06:15

Doing a mixture of exercises could lead to a longer life.

The connection between physical activity and a reduced risk of early death is well established but scientists have now discovered that incorporating a variety of exercises into your gym routine is very important for long-term health.

A team from Harvard’s School of Public Health in the US have found that people with the broadest range of physical activity had a 19 per cent lower risk of early death from all causes when compared to those who had the narrowest range of exercise.

Individuals who completed more exercise in general lived for longer, but this effect stopped at 20 metabolic equivalent task (MET) hours per week – the equivalent of around 30 to 60 minutes of brisk walking five days a week.

The final analysis was taken from more than 111,000 people, over 70,000 women and 40,000 men, and included data from two large studios over a 30-year assessment period.

Participants in the study reported personal information, medical history and lifestyle choices and provided data on exercises such as running, cycling and swimming from 1986 onwards.

The experts then calculated a MET score – a measure of how much more energy is burned during a physical activity than when resting – for each exercise.

The researchers wrote in the journal BMJ Medicine: “The finding that a greater variety of physical activities predicted lower all-cause mortality among individuals… indicated that engaging in multiple types of physical activities may exert additional health benefits independent of total physical activity levels.

“Long-term engagement in physical activity is unequivocally associated with a reduced risk of multiple chronic diseases, improved mental health and a better chance of achieving longevity and health ageing.”

The study also found that people who competed more exercise were less likely to put their health at risk by smoking and were more likely to weight less, eat healthily and be more sociable.

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