Here’s some cheerful news: if you’re over 40, you can increase your lifespan by up to 7.2 years by setting aside at least 2.5 hours per week for exercise. This finding, from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), stems from an analysis of six published studies that included data on more than 650,000 people. The NCI researchers calculated the impact of regular physical activity on the years of life individuals over 40 could gain by adopting healthy lifestyle habits. For example, brisk walking for about 75 minutes per week added 1.8 years of life compared to individuals who don’t get any exercise.

To arrive at their conclusions, the researchers first accounted for factors that can adversely affect life expectancy such as socioeconomic status. Bottom line: the investigators found that the more you exercise, the longer you can expect to live. 

My take? I am a great believer in the benefits of sensible, moderate exercise for healthy living. I ask everyone who comes to me for medical consultations about their exercise habits, and I frequently urge them to increase the time they spend being physically active. The advice I give comes from my own experience as someone who hated exercise for much of his life and now does not feel right if a day goes by without some form of it. This new study reinforces what we know about the benefits of exercise: that it can lead to longer, as well as healthier, lives.