Strength training over long-term associated with lower risk of death: Study

Up to 90-120 minutes of strength training per week could be related with a 13 per cent lower risk of death from any cause, with effects amplified if aerobic exercise is added, a 30-year study showed.

The duration of 90-120 minutes of strength training also reduced the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 19 per cent, and from neurological diseases by 27 per cent, according to the findings published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

However, no further benefits were observed beyond 120 minutes a week of strength or resistance training.

Researchers, including those from Harvard University, said that benefits of aerobic physical activity on lowering one’s death risk are known, but the role of muscle strengthening exercises in reducing the risk is not clear.

“Using repeated measures of resistance training over up to 30 years of follow-up, moderate long-term resistance training was associated with lower all-cause mortality, with lowest risks plateauing at around (more than) 120 minutes per week of resistance training,” the authors wrote.

Data from three groups of study participants, including the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1992-2022), were analysed. During the 30-year monitoring period, 35,798 study participants died.

Three quarters of the 1,47,374 participants did more than the recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic exercise, measured as 7.5 MET hours over the long term.

“Compared with no resistance training, 90-119 minutes per week of resistance training was associated with a 13 per cent lower risk of all-cause mortality, 19 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular mortality and 27 per cent lower risk of neurological disease mortality, adjusting for aerobic activity,” the authors wrote.

Aerobic activity alone at any level above 7.5 MET hours per week was associated with a 26-43 per cent lower risk of death.

However, the lowest risk of death was observed among those with both high aerobic activity and strength training levels every week -- 45 per cent lower risk for 30-44 MET hours per week of aerobic exercise plus 60-119 minutes per week of strength training, and 53-58 per cent lower risks among those with more than 45 MET hours per week of aerobic activity, irrespective of strength training level.