Lifting loads once seven days connected to decreased hazard of unexpected passing - new review|Trending-Topics

 Although it is common knowledge that aerobic activities like running and cycling can help you live longer, the impact of lifting weights on longevity has received less attention. Now, a new study suggests that if you want to avoid dying young, you should add weightlifting to your exercise routine even in later life.

The goal of the study, which was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, was to see if lifting weights, either on its own or in conjunction with moderate-to-vigorous exercise, reduces the risk of death from any cause.

"Activity where you worked up a light sweat or increased your breathing and heart rate to moderately high levels" was the definition of moderate-intensity exercise, while "activity strenuous enough to the definition of vigorous exercise was "work up a sweat or increase your breathing and heart rate to very high levels."

The data on just under 100,000 men and women from ten US cancer centers were analyzed by the researchers, who were led by a group from the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Maryland. The average age of the participants was 71, and their BMI was 27.8 (overweight). They tracked the group's deaths from any cause, including heart disease, for less than a decade.

A little over a quarter of people, or 23%, said they lifted weights regularly, with 16% doing so anywhere from one to six times per week. Additionally, approximately a third (32%) either met or exceeded the recommended aerobic exercise level.

A lower risk of premature death from any cause, except cancer, was found to be linked independently to weightlifting and aerobic exercise.

Weightlifting was associated with a 9 to 22 percent lower risk of early death for adults who reported doing no aerobic activity, depending on how often they lifted weights. This was between 24 and 34 percent for those who did some aerobic exercise but not weight lifting.

However, those who exercised aerobically and weight lifted had the lowest risk. For instance, doing at least the recommended amount of aerobic exercise and lifting weights once or twice per week reduced the risk of premature death by 41% to 47%.

Additionally, the study found that weightlifting was more beneficial to women than men.

Explanation of the Findings One possible explanation for the findings is that weightlifting and aerobic exercise may share beneficial effects. For instance, lowering risk factors for heart disease by improving blood pressure and the lipid (cholesterol and triglyceride) profile in the blood.

Similar outcomes were found in other recent studies that combined studies on muscle strengthening and health outcomes, as well as a lower overall risk of cancer. Given that the participants were enrolled in a cancer screening program, it's possible that this new study did not find any effects on cancer because it targeted a population that was already more likely to develop the disease. Again, combining aerobic and strengthening activities produced the best results.

For large observational studies of this kind, a good way to measure exercise is to ask participants to recall how much exercise they did in the past year. However, this method can lead to over- or under-reporting, which could affect the results. More precise results would come from a study that measured actual activity with digital devices like smartwatches.

Because participants in this study were also recruited for a cancer screening trial, the study is likely to attract individuals who are interested in health and may increase physical activity as a result. This indicates that the risk of premature death in the general population as a result of not exercising or lifting weights may be even higher.

Lifting weights alone or in conjunction with aerobic exercise can help lower the risk of early death, according to this and other studies. Lifting weights ought to be a lifelong endeavor. It's never too late to start, and the benefits could include living longer and healthier lives.