Exercise intensity doesn't affect mortality risk for older adults, study finds

Recent studies have highlighted the benefits associated with older consumers exercising regularly, as being more active in later life has been linked with improvements to brain function and vision.

Now, a new study has explored how workouts of varying levels of intensity can affect older consumers’ lifespans. According to the findings, having an exercise routine of any kind is beneficial for consumers’ longevity, and intensity doesn’t play a role in mortality risk.

Benefits of activity into older age

The researchers had over 1,500 older participants try out three different exercise routines over the course of a five-year study. The exercise programs ranged in intensity from moderate to intense, with one group serving as the control group and doing no more than the recommended weekly exercise guidelines.

Overall, the researchers learned that the intensity of the exercise routine didn’t increase the risk of death from any cause. While staying active comes with countless benefits for consumers of all ages, the study revealed that the mortality risk was nearly identical for both the control group and the groups doing moderate or intense exercise.

The researchers also found that the risk of developing conditions like cardiovascular disease or cancer were also about the same regardless of how intensely the participants exercised.

“This study suggests that combined [moderate intensity continuous training] and [high-intensity interval training] has no effect on all-cause mortality compared with recommended physical activity levels,” the researchers wrote.

More older consumers are exercising

Although these findings are promising for older consumers, the researchers explained that it’s also important to take into consideration that the overwhelming majority of the study participants were already engaging in moderate to intense exercise routines when the study began, which could explain the results.

However, this appears to be a trend among older adults, as another recent study found that seniors have been outperforming most young people -- particularly in recent months -- when it comes to exercise.