Want to Live Longer? Stay Active, Study Suggests

Staying physically active throughout adulthood can reduce the risk of death from any cause by up to 40%, according to a large pooled analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Even individuals who began exercising later in life saw a 20-25% lower risk of death, highlighting that it’s never too late to adopt a more active lifestyle.

Researchers reviewed 85 studies published up to April 2024, encompassing participant sample sizes ranging from 357 to over 6.5 million.

The analysis included studies that measured physical activity at two or more points in time and examined its effects on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The researchers performed separate analyses to account for different methodologies used in the studies.

Results showed that people who were consistently active had a 30-40% lower risk of death from any cause compared to those who remained inactive. Individuals who increased their physical activity later in life also benefited, with a 20-25% reduction in mortality risk. Notably, switching from inactivity to an active lifestyle was associated with a 22% lower risk of death, and those who increased their leisure-time activity were 27% less likely to die from any cause.

The benefits were most evident for cardiovascular disease. Consistently active participants had a 40% lower risk of death from cardiovascular conditions and a 25% reduced risk of cancer-related death. However, the evidence for cancer outcomes remained inconclusive.

“First, our results emphasised the importance of physical activity across adulthood, indicating that initiating it at any point in adulthood may provide survival benefits,” the researchers stated. They added that sustaining physical activity long-term offers greater benefits than being active only temporarily.

Reference: Yu R, Duncombe SL, Nemoto Y, et al, Physical activity trajectories and accumulation over adulthood and their associations with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis, British Journal of Sports Medicine Published Online First: 10 July 2025. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2024-109122