Thursday 22/January/2026 – 01:18 AM
A recent scientific study revealed that all types of… Exercises Exercise is beneficial for health, but some activities may be more effective than others in reducing the risk of premature death and prolonging life, especially when following an approach that relies on diversifying physical movement.
The best and worst exercises to reduce the risk of premature death
According to a study published in the journal BMJ Medicine, researchers analyzed data from two large studies that included more than 111,000 men and women, whose weekly physical activity patterns were tracked over long periods of time.
Activities analyzed included walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, rowing, and racquet sports such as tennis and squash, as well as weight training and yoga, along with everyday activities such as gardening, mowing the lawn, and climbing stairs.
The results showed that walking was one of the activities most associated with a lower risk of premature death, with people who walked the most recording a 17% reduction in risk compared to those who were less active. The risk of death from any cause was also reduced by 19% in people who engaged in a variety of physical activities.
The researchers noted that climbing stairs was also associated with a 10% lower risk of death, while racquet sports were among the most effective activities, with a 15% decrease, followed by rowing by 14%, then running and weightlifting by 13% each.
In contrast, the results showed that swimming and cycling had the least relative effect in reducing the risk of premature death, with cycling recording a reduction of only 4%.
The study confirmed that the most important factor is not limited to the type of exercise only, but rather to diversifying physical activities, as it has been shown that practicing a different set of exercises gives greater health benefits compared to focusing on one activity.
The researchers also noted that the health benefits of physical activity may reach a ceiling, as the relationship between reduced risk of death and increased physical activity disappeared after exceeding 20 hours of equivalent activity (MET) per week.
Overall, the results showed that people who were more physically active were less likely to have risk factors associated with premature death, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, and were also characterized by lower weight, a healthier lifestyle, greater social contact, and better dietary habits.
