“Movement is health” is a saying we have heard since childhood. Today, however, we know that it means far more than a simple life lesson. Research shows that regular physical activity affects not only fitness and well being, but also the risk of chronic disease, the pace of aging, and lifespan.
Physical activity and lifespan: what does the research say?
Do people who move more really live longer? Scientists have been trying to answer this question for years. Research findings in this area are consistent: physically active people have a 20 to 30% lower risk of death from various causes than those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
At the same time, physical inactivity is now recognized as an important risk factor for lifestyle related diseases. Working at a computer, spending hours in a car, and using screens mean that we spend a significant part of the day sitting. This lifestyle impairs glucose and lipid metabolism, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, and contributes to chronic inflammation.
Longevity research often emphasizes that what matters is not only how many years we live, or our lifespan, but also how many of those years we spend in good health and remain physically capable, which is known as our healthspan. One of the advocates of this approach is molecular biologist and Elevate speaker Dr. Łukasz Sobkowiak. As he points out, physical activity is one of the most powerful health promoting interventions and can improve both the length and quality of life.
“Health is influenced not only by the intensity of movement, but also by its context, including contact with nature, stress reduction, and regularity. A good example is forest bathing, or shinrin yoku, which has been used in Japan for years as part of preventive healthcare.”
One of the best biomarkers of longevity is VO₂max. Read more about it in our article.
How does physical activity affect the body’s aging process?
The importance of movement for health and lifespan comes from the processes taking place within the body. Regular physical activity affects many biological mechanisms associated with aging, from metabolism and inflammation to cellular function and energy production.
Research shows that movement affects:
• Metabolism and insulin sensitivity
Regular movement improves cellular sensitivity to insulin and helps regulate blood glucose levels. As a result, it reduces the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, conditions that often develop with age.
• Chronic inflammation in the body
Aging is often accompanied by chronic low grade inflammation, known as inflammaging. Physical activity may reduce levels of inflammatory markers, which is associated with a lower risk of many chronic diseases.
• Mitochondrial function
Mitochondria are cellular structures responsible for energy production. Their efficiency gradually declines with age. Regular physical activity supports their function and may improve cellular energy efficiency.
• Cellular aging and telomeres
Telomeres, the end sections of chromosomes, are often described as the biological “clock” of cellular aging. Analyses suggest that people with higher cardiorespiratory fitness have longer telomeres than those with low fitness levels, which may correspond to a difference of several years in cellular aging.
• Epigenetics and gene expression
Physical activity also affects the epigenome. According to scientists, the muscles of physically active people have a “younger” epigenetic profile.
• The body’s metabolic balance
Regular movement also affects lipid metabolism and cholesterol levels, helping maintain the body’s metabolic balance. As a result, it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, which is among the leading causes of death worldwide.
Why are muscles so important? The impact of strength training on longevity
When thinking about physical activity, we often focus primarily on endurance exercise, such as running, cycling, or other forms of cardio. These activities improve the body’s overall fitness. Today, however, it is becoming increasingly clear that muscles play an equally important role in longevity. Muscle mass and strength determine not only physical capability, but also glucose regulation, energy metabolism, and independence later in life.
One study involving more than 8,700 men between the ages of 20 and 80 examined the relationship between muscle strength and the risk of death. People with greater muscle strength had a significantly lower risk of premature death, even after accounting for factors such as age, body weight, physical activity level, and cardiorespiratory fitness. A similar relationship was observed in studies of muscle mass. Data collected from more than 3,600 people over the age of 55 showed that individuals with more muscle tissue were less likely to die from various causes.
An even more interesting picture emerges from the latest research. Although both muscle mass and strength are associated with a lower risk of death, many analyses suggest that strength is a better indicator of health than muscle mass alone¹.
For this reason, when thinking about physical activity, it is worth remembering not only endurance training, but also muscle strengthening exercises. The World Health Organization recommends performing them at least twice a week.
The minimum amount of movement needed for health: can years of inactivity be reversed?
Many people wonder whether they need to train intensely or spend long hours at the gym to experience the health benefits of physical activity. The good news is that regular movement, rather than an extreme amount of exercise, is what matters most for health.
The greatest health benefits are observed in people who complete approximately 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity per week, which is roughly the amount recommended by health guidelines. Interestingly, more movement does not always produce proportionally greater benefits. In a study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, biological aging accelerated both among the least active people and among those who exercised the most².
It is also worth remembering that physical activity provides benefits even when introduced later in life. Regular movement can improve the body’s fitness, reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, and support quality of life in later years. What is more, some changes associated with aging, including those occurring at the cellular level, may respond to exercise. This demonstrates the body’s considerable adaptability and its ability to adjust even after many years of a sedentary lifestyle.
In the context of healthspan, not only physical health matters, but also brain health and the maintenance of cognitive function in older age.
According to an Elevate Speaker
Movement and cognitive health
“Regular physical activity is extremely important for brain health. We now know that taking approximately 5,000 to 7,500 steps per day slows the accumulation of pathological tau protein and the decline of cognitive function in older adults. In people with high levels of amyloid, a protein strongly associated with neurodegeneration, movement may delay cognitive decline by as much as 6 to 7 years. Walking, although simple, turns out to be one of the most effective tools for preventing neurodegeneration, and perhaps that is precisely why it is so often underestimated.”
Conclusions
In light of modern research, the saying “movement is health” sounds less like a slogan and more like a scientific conclusion. Physical activity affects many processes in the body, from metabolism and muscle function to mechanisms involved in cellular aging. Importantly, it does not require extreme training. Even moderate but regular movement can be one of the simplest investments in long term health.
Sources:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41030224/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28991040/
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2845052 - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10274991/
