Two recent studies tell us that being physically and muscularly fit is crucial for longevity, and it may even matter more than being thin! Muscle again and again.
If you needed more motivating arguments to get a minimum of physical exercise at any age and keep your muscles active, here they are.
It’s better to be strong than thin
An American study concluded that the risk of premature death can be multiplied by 2 or 3 if one is not physically and athletically fit, even if having an ideal weight and/or a good BMI (Body Mass Index) (1).
In fact, an overweight person with good exercise endurance would live longer than a thin, sedentary, and untrained person. Exercise, therefore, appears to be more powerful than dieting for increasing longevity. The study concludes that even regular brisk walking can improve a person’s lifespan, regardless of whether they are overweight or not. This does not mean, however, that excess weight has no impact on health; that’s a different matter.
When sport makes you younger
Another ongoing study in Montreal tells us that septuagenarians who exercise regularly no longer age. More precisely, their biological age decreases or no longer increases (2). In this study, which began in 2014, most subjects have better markers on biological age tests today than they did 10 years ago. They exercise for 30 minutes, 3 times a week.
Another interesting fact: while we usually lose 1% of our muscle mass each year (or even more in the case of sarcopenia), over 10 years, the study participants lost no muscle mass. Furthermore, they generally feel fitter and healthier.
This is therefore one of the pillars of longevity that has now been widely demonstrated.
We’re not talking about bodybuilding here, but moderate exercise. It’s possible that, when practiced correctly, without excess or doping, bodybuilding can be beneficial for healthy aging. However, the observed muscle hypertrophy, the pursuit of mass gain at all costs, and other excesses (doping, extreme training, unbalanced diet, etc.) can contribute to certain long-term problems.
