It may be helpful to consider diversifying the types of exercise you do throughout the week, as a new study has found a clear link between variety in physical activity and a reduced risk of death.
Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the United States analyzed data from more than 111,000 people, collected over 30 years, and compared the exercise patterns reported by the participants with deaths during the study period.
The results showed that people whose physical activities were more varied had a 19 percent lower risk of death compared to those who did the least variety, assuming the total duration of exercise was roughly equal between the two groups.
The researchers wrote in their published study: "These results support the idea that encouraging a variety of physical activities, along with increasing overall physical activity, may contribute to reducing the risk of premature death."
The study took into account influencing factors such as lifestyle, demographics, and dietary habits. Although the nature of the study does not establish a direct causal relationship, the results suggest a strong correlation that warrants further investigation.
It may be helpful to consider diversifying the types of exercise you do throughout the week, as a new study has found a clear link between variety in physical activity and a reduced risk of death.
Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the United States analyzed data from more than 111,000 people, collected over 30 years, and compared the exercise patterns reported by the participants with deaths during the study period.
The results showed that people whose physical activities were more varied had a 19 percent lower risk of death compared to those who did the least variety, assuming the total duration of exercise was roughly equal between the two groups.
The researchers wrote in their published study: "These results support the idea that encouraging a variety of physical activities, along with increasing overall physical activity, may contribute to reducing the risk of premature death."
The study took into account influencing factors such as lifestyle, demographics, and dietary habits. Although the nature of the study does not establish a direct causal relationship, the results suggest a strong correlation that warrants further investigation.
The researchers pointed out that practicing different types of exercise targets multiple parts of the body, which may lead to more overall health improvement.
The data also showed that increased overall physical activity is associated with longevity, highlighting the long-term benefits of incorporating moderate amounts of movement into daily life.
However, the study noted that the benefit reached a plateau at around 20 hours of exercise per week, as exceeding this rate did not lead to a further significant reduction in the risk of death.
The activities monitored by the study included a wide range, such as swimming, cycling, mowing the lawn and climbing stairs, as long as the activity was done at a reasonable level of intensity.
Nutritionist Yang Hu said: "People naturally tend to choose different activities over time according to their preferences and health conditions."
He added: "When making a decision about exercise, the possibility of additional health benefits from engaging in more than one type of physical activity should be considered, rather than relying on just one type."
The study noted some limitations, including its reliance on self-reported data rather than direct measurement, and the fact that the majority of participants were healthcare workers and white. Furthermore, the study did not assess the impact of changing an individual's exercise routine, but rather compared exercise patterns across different individuals.
Nevertheless, the results provide new insights into the benefits of physical activity, confirming that even small amounts make a difference, and that varying your workouts may be a useful option.
Tom Yates, a professor of exercise physiology at the University of Leicester in Britain, who was not involved in the study, said: "The new finding here is that the variety of physical activity may also be beneficial to health."
He added: "It may be similar to a diet, as diversity itself may have health benefits."
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