Regular weight-bearing exercise is linked to a lower risk of premature death, according to the largest study of its kind.
And making sure your weekly exercise routine includes weights and aerobic activities appears to have an even greater beneficial effect, the researchers say. his findings were published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Adults are encouraged to participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity.
In addition, they are encouraged to do “strengthening activities” that work their legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms at least two days a week.
While aerobic exercise is consistently associated with a lower risk of premature death, until now it was unclear whether exercising with weights could have similar effects.
In an attempt to fill this knowledge gap, the researchers set out to assess the potential impact of weight-bearing exercise and aerobic activities on the risk of premature death among older adults.
Researchers led by academics at the US National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Maryland, examined data from nearly 100,000 adults who participated in a US screening study.
The participants, who had an average age of 71, provided information about their weightlifting activity and any other exercise they participated in.
About 23% reported weight-bearing activity and 16% reported lifting weights at least one to six times per week.
The researchers considered almost a third (32%) to be “sufficiently active,” with 24% meeting aerobic activity guidelines and 8% exceeding them.
During the 9.6-year follow-up period, there were 28,477 deaths.
The study found that adults who reported lifting weights had a 9% lower “risk of all-cause mortality.” A similar observation was made for heart disease deaths, but no link was found between weight training and cancer deaths.
Those who participated in “regular” weight lifting were found to have a 14% lower risk of death. Those who met aerobic activity levels had a 32% lower risk of premature death.
Adults who reported meeting aerobic activity guidelines and lifting weights at least once or twice a week were found to have a 41% to 47% lower risk of premature death.
The study focused only on weights, but there were other types of muscle-strengthening exercises, the researchers said, including push-ups (push-ups), squats, Pilates, jumping jacks and burpees.
Using weights can make a body slimmer: Total lean mass is independently associated with a lower risk of premature death, the researchers explained. And if done in a gym, it could also be very social, another factor associated with a longer and healthier life.
“Our finding that mortality risk appeared to be lower for those who participated in both types of exercise provides strong support for current recommendations to participate in aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities,” the authors wrote. “Older adults would likely benefit from adding weight-bearing exercises to their physical activity routines,” they concluded.
