About two hours’ strength training every week could be the optimum level to reduce risk of dying from cardiovascular or neurological disease, a study suggests.
Researchers found that 90 to 119 minutes’ weekly sessions involving weights or body weight such as press-ups, lowered the risk of death of cardiovascular and neurological disease by 19% and 27% respectively.
Doing more than two hours appeared to offer no further benefit. However, the effects were amplified by the addition of aerobic exercise.
The study collated data from three studies spanning 30 years, with 147,374 participants (115,834 women and 31,540 men) questioned once every two years about their resistance workouts. The participants were health professionals (including nurses) with an average age 54 at study entry.
The researchers acknowledged some limitations to their observational study, including the self-reporting of data and exclusion of pilates. However, they concluded their finding ‘supports current recommendations encouraging both types of activity to maximise mortality benefits’.
Study Journal of the American Heart Association
Image | ISTOCK
