COSMOS MAGAZINE
For years, we’ve been told that exercise is the key to a longer life—but what if the truth is more complicated?
A decades-long study of 22,750 Finnish twins suggests that staying active isn’t enough; an overall healthy lifestyle matters more than simply logging hours at the gym.
Credit: Jordan Siemens via Getty Images
While moderate exercise lowered mortality risk by 7% compared to a sedentary life, pushing harder didn’t add extra years, and in the long run, the most active weren’t any better off than the least.
Researchers argue that physical activity may not be the cause of longevity, but rather a reflection of underlying health.
Even more surprising, those who exercised the least and the most showed signs of faster biological ageing, reinforcing that balance —not extremes — is the real secret to lasting well-being.