Physical activity in such a time dimension significantly reduces the risk of death. But there is a catch

scientists z British Journal of Sports Medicine It found that 30-60 minutes of weekly muscle-strengthening activity reduces the risk of death from all causes by 10-20%, as well as the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. The same research team points out that exercising for longer than the aforementioned hour does not increase these values ​​at all. These results are independent of aerobic exercise.

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Research has shown that strength exercises such as lifting weights, push-ups, working with resistance bands, and squats have a beneficial effect on adults, mainly due to their benefits to skeletal muscles. It has previously been shown that such measures can reduce the risk of death, but it has not been clear what is the optimal “dose” of such exercises.

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The researchers searched databases to track down relevant observational studies that included adults without major health problems, who had been monitored for at least two years. The final analysis included 16 studies (oldest from 2012) – from the USA, England, Scotland, Australia and Japan. Study participants ranged from 4,000 to nearly 480,000, and their ages ranged from 18 to 97. All of the studies looked at exercise or other types of physical activity in addition to muscle-toning activities.

An analysis of the pooled data found that muscle-strengthening exercise was associated with a 10-17% lower risk of death from any cause, as well as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and lung cancer. There was no association between strengthening muscles and a reduced risk of certain types of cancer, including cancers of the intestine, kidney, bladder, or pancreas.

It should be noted that the maximum risk of death from any cause – at 10-20% – occurred with about 30-60 minutes of exercise per week. But despite all the good news, the research work has its limits. Since most of the studies were conducted in the United States, the results may not have broader clinical application.

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The combination of muscle strengthening and aerobic activity may provide greater benefit in reducing all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality in general. Given that the available data are limited, further studies – such as those targeting the most heterogeneous population – are needed to increase the significance of the evidence.