To Your Health
December, 2025 (Vol. 19, Issue 12) |
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Exercise and Lifespan
By Editorial Staff
Ever heard the phrase, "Movement is life"? We've used it several times before, but we certainly didn't invent it. It's well-known that physical activity – movement – is one of the most important variables contributing to a long, healthy life. Recent research makes the latest case for this connection.
Researchers applied a predictive model to determine how physical activity levels could impact lifespan. Participants were age 40 and older with physical activity levels based on data from a National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES). The primary outcome measure: "how much life expectancy could be improved by increasing physical activity levels for both populations and individuals."
OK, are you ready for the results? Drum roll, please: "If all individuals were as active as the top 25% of the population, Americans over the age of 40 could live an extra 5.3 years ... on average. The greatest gain in lifetime per hour of walking was seen for individuals in the lowest activity quartile, where an additional hour's walk could add 376.3 min (~6.3 hours) of life expectancy."
If you can add an extra five-plus years to your life purely through physical activity – and add six-plus hours to your life by adding an hour walk to your routine, the only question is: What are you waiting for? If you can't find the time, energy or motivation to get off the couch and adopt a consistent exercise routine, ask your doctor for help. It's never too late.
