BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have recently uncovered the links between physical activity, sedentary behavior, 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 behavior through questionnaires.
Upon analyzing 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, in some cases, shows an inverse relationship.
When examining the connection between physical activity and accelerated aging, the researchers found that a higher frequency of moderate physical activity is linked to a reduced risk of accelerated aging by more than five years. Conversely, a longer duration of vigorous physical activity is associated with an increased risk of accelerated aging by more than five years.
In summary, physical activity shows protective effects on longevity and age acceleration, with the effects being partly mediated through lipids. On the other hand, sedentary behavior has a negative impact on age acceleration.
The researchers published the findings in the journal GeroScience. ■
