Stay in shape and live longer 1

We all want to stay alive and stay healthy as long as we can. There is research that shows muscle-strengthening exercises may lower the risk of death, according to an article in Medical News Today written by death Written by Erika Watts on March 3, 202,2 and fact-checked by Jessica Beake, Ph.D.

The authors of a new meta-analysis of prior studies wanted to determine how much time adults should spend doing muscle-strengthening exercises each week.

The study, which appears in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, took data from existing studies to learn more about how these exercises affect health.

The findings showed that adults who do 30–60 minutes of muscle-strengthening exercises each week have a 10–20% reduction in mortality risk, alongside a reduced risk of other health conditions.

Although the health benefits of aerobic exercise are well-established, there has been less research into the health benefits of muscle-strengthening exercises.

Being physically active is important for maintaining good physical and mental health.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)Trusted Source recommends that adults participate in 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity each week to ensure “substantial health benefits.”

Aerobic exercises including swimming, cycling, walking, and rowing help improve your heart. Other types of exercises that strengthen the muscles include weightlifting, using resistance bands, and doing bodyweight exercises, such as pushups, sit-ups, and squats.

The researchers used data from 16 relevant observational studies published between 2012 and 2020 to determine the health benefits of these exercises. They focused on studies with participants who did not have any major health issues.

According to the authors, “All studies focused on muscle-strengthening exercises such as resistance/strength/weight training and callisthenics, but not on muscle-strengthening activities such as carrying heavy loads and heavy gardening.”

 After analyzing the data, the authors determined that muscle-strengthening activities were associated with a 10–17% lower risk of all-cause mortality. There was also a similar risk reduction for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, total cancer, and lung cancer.

Although the authors found that doing 30–60 minutes of muscle-strengthening exercises each week provided health benefits, they did not find evidence that going beyond 60 minutes provided additional benefits.