Is it just showing up, or how hard you muscle it out? Sports science research studying American adults is proposing an answer.
Exercise strengthens the heart, improves circulation, regulates blood sugar and cholesterol, and helps maintain a healthy weight—all of which protect against chronic diseases and ultimately promote longevity. Yet, while it’s clear that staying active tends to extend lifespan, scientists continue exploring how to optimize exercise to garner the greatest benefits. Some are investigating: If your goal is a longer life, is it better to move more vigorously, or simply to move regularly?
A January 2025 study by a group of sports science researchers have shared their answer. Using data from over 7,500 U.S. adults, the research, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, has suggested that how hard you move your body may matter more than how long you move when it comes to living a longer, healthier life.
To compare the effects of both variables, the team analyzed data from the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), using devices to objectively measure participants’ physical activity levels—including volume, intensity, and duration. From there, they tracked participants for about seven years to assess their risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular disease.
The study revealed that higher levels of both overall activity and intensity were linked to lower all-cause mortality. So, good news: just regular exercising made a difference, regardless of how challenging it was.
But looking deeper, increasing exercise frequency from the lowest one-quarter to the middle one-quarter reduced overall mortality risk by about 14%, while the same increase in intensity cut the risk by 37%. When looking specifically at heart-related deaths, intensity stood out even more—individuals in the higher intensity range had a 41% lower risk compared to those with lower-intensity activity.
The researchers explain the effect with the following: “Physiologically, higher intensities have been shown to elicit greater physiologic stimuli and cardiovascular adaptations than volume increases of moderate-intensity activities enhancing cardiorespiratory fitness, a key longevity predictor.” In practical terms, say you’re a regular walker: incorporating more vigorous movement—such as faster walking, cycling, climbing stairs, or walking uphill—could offer greater protective effects for heart health and longevity. Whatever your goal, the CDC recommends aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, plus two additional sessions of strength training workouts.
Lastly, the study notes that doing your total amount of exercise all at once may have benefits over breaking it up throughout the day. When they controlled for intensity, they found that a continuous five-minute bout of moderate running appeared to have bigger health benefits than 10 bouts of moderate running lasting 30 seconds each.
Still, the results show that every bit of movement matters. Speak with your doctor before amping up your effort.
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