A new review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that doing as little as 30 minutes of muscle-strengthening activity per week could reduce the risk of dying from any illness, including heart disease and cancer, by 10% to 20%.
The research reviewed 16 studies with participants in the United States, England, Scotland, Australia and Japan who ranged in age from 18 to 97. All of the studies examined the association between muscle-strengthening activities and overall health in adults without severe health conditions. The reviewers found the maximum risk reduction—10% to 20%—among participants who did 30 minutes to an hour of muscle-strengthening activity each week.
More specifically, the reviewers determined that muscle-strengthening activities were associated with a 17% lower risk for diabetes, with the incidence of type 2 diabetes “sharply decreasing” when participants performed up to 60 minutes of muscle-strengthening activity per week.