Chinese researchers reveal link between physical activity, longevity, ageing

Beijing [China], January 12: Chinese researchers have recently uncovered the links between physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and their impacts on longevity and age acceleration, supporting the advice to "sit less and move more" for healthy longevity.
Researchers from Sun Yat-sen University selected 20,924 Chinese participants aged 50 or above from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study and gathered data on their physical activity and sedentary behaviour through questionnaires.
Upon analysing the relationships between physical activity and longevity, they discovered that moderate physical activity, compared to low levels, is associated with a higher likelihood of longevity, with a 56 percent increased chance.
Specifically, the frequency, duration and intensity of moderate physical activity are positively correlated with the probability of longevity. In contrast, vigorous physical activity does not yield the same benefits and sometimes shows an inverse relationship.
When examining the connection between physical activity and accelerated ageing, the researchers found that a higher frequency of moderate physical activity is linked to a reduced risk of accelerated ageing by more than five years. Conversely, a longer duration of vigorous physical activity is associated with an increased risk of accelerated ageing by more than five years.
Physical activity showed protective effects on longevity and age acceleration, with the effects being partly mediated through lipids. On the other hand, sedentary behaviour has a negative impact on age acceleration.
Source: Emirates News Agency