Doing different types of exercise linked to a longer life
News briefs
- Reviewed by Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Variety, they say, is the spice of life. And when it comes to exercise, engaging in a variety of different types may help extend your life, according to a study by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Researchers relied on health and lifestyle data collected from more than 111,000 adults over the course of more than 30 years. The participants reported how much time per week they spent doing different types of physical activity, including walking, bicycling, lap swimming, playing racquet sports, lifting weights, yoga, yard work, and other activities. After adjusting for health and lifestyle factors that might confound the results, researchers compared the data on different exercise patterns to when and how the participants died.
People with the highest variety of exercises were 19% less likely to die prematurely compared to those with the least amount of exercise variety. This held true at every level of physical activity, regardless of how much time people spent exercising. The study was published in the Jan. 20, 2026, issue of BMJ Medicine.
Image: © TarikVision/Getty Images
About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
