Doing a blend of different exercises each week could be linked to a longer life, according to a major US study tracking 110,000 adults over 30 years. Researchers found people who mixed activities such as running, cycling, yoga and weight training were 19% less likely to die during the study than those who focused on a single exercise. Their risk of death from cancer, heart and lung disease was cut by 13–41%.
Lead author Dr Yang Hu, from Harvard School of Public Health, said combining activities with complementary benefits – for example, resistance and aerobic training – appeared especially helpful. The study also suggested around six hours of moderate or three hours of vigorous exercise a week was optimal, with gains levelling off beyond that. Read the original report on the BBC website.