Lifting 90 Minutes a Week Linked to a Lower Risk of Death
Graded Moderate — a large long-term observation of 147,374 people over up to 30 years; training was self-reported, and observational data cannot prove cause and effect.
- Design
- Prospective cohort study
- Participants
- 147,374
- Duration
- 30 years
- Funding
- US National Cancer Institute (NIH), American Cancer Society, Brazilian…
People who did one and a half to just under two hours of strength training a week had a 13 percent lower risk of death.
People who did one and a half to just under two hours of strength training a week died less often over the years. Their risk of death was 13 percent lower than in people who did no strength training at all. This held even after accounting for running, cycling and other endurance exercise. They also died less often from heart and blood vessel disease. Going beyond two hours a week showed no extra benefit.
Researchers pooled three large long-term studies from the US. Together they followed 147,374 health workers for up to 30 years, most of them women. Every few years, participants reported how much time they spent with weights or on weight machines. The lowest risk of death was seen in people who combined a lot of endurance exercise with strength training. Their risk was 45 percent lower than in people with little endurance exercise and no strength training.
These results come from watching people, not from an experiment. They cannot show that strength training itself lengthens life. Participants estimated their own training time, and how hard they trained was not recorded. Most were white and middle-aged or older.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.