January 14, 2025
A recent report reveals how even a small increase in daily movement can have a significant impact on longevity.
According to a report by Lennert Veerman, professor of public health at Griffith University in Australia, shows that increasing physical activity can add up to 11 years to your lifespan.
Even midlifers who are less active than average could gain six extra hours of life expectancy for every hour spent walking daily.
Veerman’s study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, analysed data from hip-worn fitness trackers on over 35,000 people. The findings reveal that the impact of exercise on longevity is about twice as strong as previously thought.
Those in the top quarter for activity, averaging 160 minutes of daily movement, had a 73% lower risk of premature death compared to the least active group, who managed just 49 minutes a day. “It can be any type of exercise, but the greatest benefits are seen with around three hours of walking per day,” says Veerman.
UK health guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, spread over four to five days, plus strengthening exercises on two days a week to maintain overall health.
It’s not the first time research has linked exceeding minimum exercise guidelines to a longer life. A Harvard study, published in Circulation, analysed over 30 years of medical records and mortality data for more than 100,000 adults. The findings showed that doubling or even quadrupling the recommended activity levels reduced the risk of premature death from cardiovascular and other diseases by nearly one-third.
Being active can more than halve your risk of early death. Veerman emphasizes that fitness doesn’t have to be extreme: “Any activity makes a massive difference. If you’re doing very little, even small increases can bring big benefits and help you live longer.”
Even short bursts of activity can make a significant difference. A Nature Medicine study of over 25,000 UK non-exercisers, led by Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis from the University of Sydney, found that performing vigorous activity for just 60-120 seconds, 3-4 times a day, reduced the risk of premature death by about 40% and lowered the risk of early death from cardiovascular disease by one-third compared to those who didn’t engage in such activity.
Stamatakis terms Vilpa, or “vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity”, such as running a short distance for a bus or train, powering up and down stairs or speed walking two to three times for 20-30 seconds on a ten-minute stroll.
“Doing 60-120 seconds bursts of Vilpa for a total of 4.4 minutes a day had a dramatic effect on health outcomes,” Stamatakis says.
Always take the stairs
Climbing stairs can significantly improve health. A 2023 Atherosclerosis study linked climbing more than five flights of stairs daily to better blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and lower blood pressure.
This year, Dr Sophie Paddock, from the University of East Anglia, presented findings at the European Society of Cardiology conference showing stair climbing reduces cardiovascular disease risk, including heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. Her review of nine studies involving nearly 500,000 participants found it also lowers the risk of early death by 24%. “The more stairs climbed, the greater the benefits,” she says. “Take the stairs whenever possible.”
I’ve taken to walking three of the six floors at the office and it certainly feels like a challenging exercise.
Build up gradually
Incorporating vigorous activity into your routine offers greater protection against premature death than moderate activity alone, according to large studies, including one in the BMJ. Vigorous exercise, which makes you huff and puff, helps blood vessels expand, enhancing the cardiovascular system’s ability to handle exertion. This improves fitness and overall health over time.
Jumping into strenuous exercise from a sedentary lifestyle can carry risks. Veerman explains, “While activity strengthens the heart, if your coronary arteries are only supplying enough blood for low activity, higher exertion may cause insufficient oxygenation, potentially triggering arrhythmia, which could be dangerous.” He advises starting gradually: “Walk before you run, then add short bursts of higher effort.”
If you do want to start something that’s a bit more intense, consult your doctor first, and if you feel any pressure on your chest, stop and seek medical attention.
Walk briskly for at least ten minutes a day
Adding a ten-minute brisk walk (at least 100 steps per minute) to their daily routine can significantly boost life expectancy for inactive over-65s. Professor Yates, who has studied walking’s effects on longevity for decades, found in his Journal of Sport and Health Science study that ten minutes of brisk walking daily adds an average of 0.9 years for women and 1.4 years for men. Increasing this to 30 minutes a day extends life by 1.4 years for women and 2.5 years for men.
Get On Your Bike
Cycling promotes longevity and slows aging. Research in JAMA Internal Medicine found that people with type 2 diabetes who cycled for one hour a week had a 22% lower risk of premature death.
Biologists at Birmingham University’s Institute for Inflammation and Ageing showed lifelong cycling keeps immune systems in fifties to seventies youthful compared to sedentary individuals. Meanwhile, Professor Alister Hart, orthopaedic hip surgeon, found middle-aged cyclists had healthier, stronger muscles with less harmful fat between muscle fibres. “Regular cycling prevents age-related muscle deterioration and fat infiltration,” Hart says. “It’s an excellent way to stay healthy longer.”
Not all of us may want to take to the bike, especially in winter months. An exercise bike can be suitable substitute. This is one I bought recently 2025 New Exercise Bike Foldable and one of advantage of such a bike is you can peddle away and be distracted by watching something on TV or listening to the radio, podcast etc.
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