Scientists have discovered an important key to living a longer and healthier life, and it may be simpler than many people think. According to a medical study conducted in the United States, making different types of physical activity a regular part of daily life can significantly increase life expectancy.
The research was carried out by Harvard University and included more than 111,000 people. Their health was monitored for over 30 years. During this period, researchers collected information every two years about participants’ personal details, medical history, and lifestyle choices.
Participants were asked whether they regularly engaged in activities such as walking, jogging, running, climbing stairs, cycling, playing tennis or squash, and other forms of exercise. The findings showed that people who adopted a variety of physical activities had nearly a 20 percent lower risk of early death from any cause.
Even simple habits proved beneficial. Regular walking reduced the risk of death by 17 percent. Playing tennis, squash, or similar sports lowered the risk by 15 percent. Running or weight-training exercises reduced it by 13 percent, jogging by 11 percent, cycling by 4 percent, and regularly climbing stairs lowered the risk by about 10 percent.
The study also found that people who consistently stayed active had a 19 percent lower risk of premature death overall. Their risk of dying from heart disease, cancer, respiratory illnesses, and other causes was reduced by 13 to 41 percent.
Researchers acknowledged that the study had some limitations, as it relied on self-reported data and could not prove direct cause and effect. However, they said the results strongly support the idea that maintaining different types of physical activity over the long term can increase average lifespan.
