While most individuals live into their 70s—the average life expectancy in America is 78—many would like to live longer, making more memories and enjoying all that life has to offer. But if you’re looking for the fountain of youth, you may want to look toward the treadmill and not the scale: According to a recent study, consistent exercise (not weight loss) contributes more towards a healthier and longer life. “Compared head-to-head, the magnitude of benefit was far greater from improving fitness than from losing weight,” Dr. Glenn Gaesser, the study’s author, told the The New York Times. “You will be better off, in terms of mortality risk, by increasing your physical activity and fitness than by intentionally losing weight.”
What the study found
The study, led by Gaesser and his colleague Siddhartha Angadi, a professor of education and kinesiology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, analyzed the relationship between dieting, exercise, weight, heart health, and mortality. Results showed that working out, consistently and regularly, lowered the risk of heart disease and premature death, even for overweight or obese people. “Sedentary, obese men and women who begin to exercise and improve their fitness can lower their risk of premature death by as much as 30 percent or more, even if their weight does not budge,” the New York Times explained. “This improvement generally puts them at lower risk of early death than people who are considered to be of normal weight but out of shape," Dr. Gaesser said. Previous studies have yielded similar results. Several reports have shown that overweight and obese individuals with health problems such as high blood pressure, poor cholesterol levels, or insulin resistance, can significantly improve their health after they begin exercising regardless of whether they lose any weight. That said, there are benefits to weight loss, too. Losing just five percent of your body weight, or 10 pounds on a 200-pound person, can improve all kinds of health problems. Weight loss cuts your risk of cancer. It can prevent type 2 diabetes, and weight loss lowers your triglycerides—all of which can have an impact on your lifespan. However, the health benefits of exercise are numerous. “Exercise improves your heart’s health. It does this by maintaining a proper circulation of blood throughout the body,” Dr. Kire Stojkovski, MD, a doctor at the Farr Institute, tells Parade. “Exercise makes your bones and muscles stronger, by increasing both mass and strength. Exercise helps your body release dopamine, which is responsible for improving your moods, and exercise helps manage your insulin levels.” In short, exercise reduces your risk of suffering from various diseases and health complications, improving the quality and longevity of your life. “Many obesity-related health conditions are more likely attributable to low physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness rather than obesity per se,” the study concluded. “ Epidemiological studies show that cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity significantly attenuate, and sometimes eliminate, the increased mortality risk associated with obesity.”
How much exercise do we need?
As for how much exercise is necessary to reap the aforementioned health benefits, Dr. Rami Hashish, PhD, DPT, a body performance and injury expert, tells Parade most individuals should strive for 15 minutes of movement per day or more. “Now that we know exercise can increase our life span, the natural question is ‘how much exercise is enough," Hashish says. “Well, the minimum amount of exercise is about 15 minutes a day—or about 90 minutes per week—of moderate intensity exercise. You also want to make sure you take at least 7,000 steps a day. With that said, you’re likely to see much better outcomes if you hit closer to 12,000 steps, with 30 to 40 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a day.” Next up: How Many Steps Per Day Actually Leads to Weight Loss?
Sources
“Obesity Treatment: Weight Loss Versus Increasing Fitness and Physical Activity for Reducing Health Risks.” iScience.“Why Exercise Is More Important Than Weight Loss for a Longer Life.” The New York Times.Dr. Kire Stojkovski, MD, a doctor at the Farr InstituteDr. Rami Hashish, PhD, DPT, a body performance and injury expert
