- Mixing up several different exercises lowers the risk of dying more than just doing one kind of activity.
- People who did the most walking had a 17% lower risk of dying, while racquet sports cut risk by 15%.
- Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.
We all know that physical activity is a cornerstone of good health. Recommendations from health experts consistently highlight the importance of moving our bodies to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, support mental well-being and improve our chances for a long, healthy life. While the benefits of total exercise time are well-documented, less is known about whether the type of activities we do makes a difference.
Does it matter if you only walk, or is it better to mix in some swimming, weight training or tennis? Different activities challenge our bodies in unique ways. Aerobic exercise like running supports heart and lung function, while resistance training builds muscle and bone strength. This has led researchers to question if engaging in a variety of exercises could offer complementary health benefits that lead to greater longevity.
A recent large-scale study set out to answer this very question, exploring how both the amount and variety of physical activity affect long-term survival. The results of this study were published in BMJ Journals.
How Was This Study Conducted?
To investigate this, researchers analyzed data from two large, long-term cohorts: the Nurses’ Health Study, with more than 121,000 female nurses, and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, with more than 51,000 male health professionals. For over 30 years, these participants regularly provided detailed information about their health, lifestyle and physical activity habits through questionnaires.
The study focused on data from over 111,000 participants who were free of major chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes or cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the observation period. This process helped ensure that pre-existing conditions weren’t influencing their activity levels.
Every two years, participants reported the average time they spent each week on various activities, including walking, jogging, running, bicycling, swimming, tennis, stair climbing and weight training. Researchers converted this time into a standard measure of energy expenditure called metabolic equivalent task (MET) hours per week. They also created a physical activity variety score by counting the number of different activities each person consistently participated in. Using this dataset, the researchers examined the links between the total amount of exercise, the variety of activities and the risk of death from all causes, as well as from specific conditions like cardiovascular disease, cancer and respiratory disease.
What Did the Study Find?
The results of the study suggest that nearly all types of physical activity were associated with a lower risk of mortality or early death. Individuals in the most active group for walking had a 17% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to the least active. Similarly, high participation in racquet sports was linked to a 15% reduction and weight training was associated with a 13% lower risk.
Interestingly, the benefits for many activities weren’t linear, meaning more wasn’t always proportionally better. The risk reduction often plateaued after a certain point. For instance, the biggest drop in mortality risk was seen with about 7.5 MET hours per week of walking (roughly 2.5 hours of brisk walking) or 5 MET hours per week of tennis. This suggests you don’t need to engage in marathon-length sessions of every activity to reap significant rewards.
The most groundbreaking finding, however, was about variety. After accounting for the total amount of physical activity, a greater variety of exercises was independently associated with a lower risk of death. Participants with the highest variety score (engaging in multiple different activities) had a 19% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to those with the lowest variety. This benefit held true across different causes of death, including a 13% lower risk for cardiovascular disease and a 15% lower risk for cancer mortality.
Even when comparing people who exercised the same total amount, those who mixed up their activities had better survival rates. This indicates that variety itself provides an extra layer of protection, likely because different activities challenge different physiological systems.
Limitations
The data on physical activity was self-reported, which can introduce errors, as people may not perfectly recall their exercise habits. However, since the study was prospective (following people forward in time), these errors are less likely to be systematically biased.
Additionally, the study participants were predominantly white health professionals. While this group provides boatloads of data, the findings may not be fully generalizable to other populations with different demographics and lifestyles. Finally, for some activities like swimming, it was difficult to account for intensity. A person swimming leisurely for 30 minutes expends far less energy than someone swimming vigorous laps for the same duration, which could affect the results for that specific activity.
Yet, the results do suggest benefits linked to varying exercise. And there is little risk associated with engaging in physical activity.
How Does This Apply to Real Life?
These results suggest that an active lifestyle is crucial, and variety is a powerful tool for enhancing its benefits. You don’t have to be a professional athlete or spend hours in the gym every day.
The key is to find a few activities you enjoy and can stick with long-term. If you’re currently only walking, consider adding another activity to your week. This could be as simple as:
- Adding resistance: Incorporate two days of weight training or bodyweight exercises, like push-ups and squats. There are many resistance training instructional videos available on YouTube for free.
- Trying a racquet sport: Join a friend for a game of tennis or pickleball once a week.
- Taking a “walk and talk” meeting: If your work allows, instead of having a meeting while both parties are sitting, take 30 minutes to talk shop while leisurely walking. If you work remotely, try a walking meeting over the phone vs. a virtual option if a screen isn’t necessary.
- Going for a bike ride: Explore local trails or use a stationary bike and catch up on a favorite show as you ride.
The goal is not to force yourself into activities you dislike, but to build a varied and sustainable routine. By engaging different muscle groups and cardiovascular systems, you can maximize the health benefits of the time you dedicate to exercise. Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of more vigorous activity per week, so changing up your go-to workout could help you hit those goals without getting bored.
Our Expert Take
An analysis published in BMJ Medicine found that people who engage in a mix of different physical activities have a lower risk of dying from all causes than those who stick to just one type (or who didn’t exercise much at all). The key finding is that variety itself, not just total exercise time, was linked to better survival. In short: moving your body in different ways can help you live longer. Prioritizing both regular activity and variety may make a meaningful difference in your long-term health and longevity.
