Monday 02/February/2026 – 11:38 PM
Scientific studies have proven that regular exercise enhances overall health and reduces risk Death Prematurity, meaning death before the age of 75, but recent research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health revealed that exercise variety can be an important factor in longevity, even if a person does not exercise long hours per week.
Simple and varied exercise reduces the risk of premature death by 19%.
The study results were published in the journal BMJ Medicine last month, and included more than 111,000 adults followed over three decades.
Participants recorded the amount of time per week they engaged in various activities: walking, jogging, cycling, rowing, racquet sports, weight lifting, resistance training, yoga, and low-intensity exercise or strenuous work outdoors.
After adjusting for health and lifestyle variables, the researchers found that participants who did the most variety of exercise had a 19% lower risk of premature death than those who did the least amount of exercise.
The study showed that diversifying the types of exercises is beneficial, regardless of their intensity or time spent on them.
When deciding how to exercise, keep in mind that there may be additional benefits from engaging in multiple types of physical activity, rather than relying on just one type, said researcher Yang Hu of the Department of Nutrition.
Some low- or moderate-intensity activities include brisk walking, ballroom dancing, mowing the lawn, water aerobics, and gardening.
