Lifting Weights May Help You Live Longer, New Study Finds

LONDON: Strength training may do much more than build muscle and improve physical appearance, with a new long-term study suggesting that lifting weights could help people live longer, even without spending hours in the gym.

The findings add to growing evidence that regular muscle-strengthening exercises can play a significant role in improving overall health and reducing the risk of premature death. The study analysed data from three long-running US health studies involving nearly 150,000 nurses and other healthcare professionals who were followed for up to 30 years.

Participants regularly reported the amount of time they spent on strength training, along with aerobic activities such as walking, cycling, and swimming, every two years. Over the three-decade period, nearly 36,000 participants died, allowing researchers to examine the relationship between muscle-strengthening exercise and longevity.

The analysis found that people who engaged in regular strength training had a lower risk of dying prematurely compared to those who did not perform muscle-strengthening exercises. The findings reinforce previous research highlighting the importance of resistance training as part of a healthy lifestyle.