Being active will add 5-10 years to your life

Question

CNN states that getting more exercise will add 5 to 10 years to your life. The claim in the titles matches the content and data within the article page. The author of the article is Kristen Rogers and she cites experts such as Dr. Peter Katzmarzyk, associate executive director for population and public health sciences at the Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center. This is a valid source that back up claims in the article. There are other sites such as WebMD and Harvard Health that have posted similar claims. The writing in the article is factual and I don't see any bias. The article was posted on November 15, 2024, which tells readers the information is up to date and relevant today.

Comments

This seems to be valid considering CNN is a widely trusted news outlet and it brought in actual studies from LSU and was recently posted. This tells me its relevant, up-to-date, and also unbias in its tone. Overall, I can say that this claim is true, and there is no evidence to prove it to me otherwise.

Answer 1

Your claim seems valid multiple websites like Fortune, Prevention, and News-medical. I think scientific websites could help with the validity of your claim as well. But the amount of years "added on" will vary across geographical locations and other factors like genetics, diet, healthcare access.

Comments

you did a great job highlighting the different factors that contribute to life longevity beyond regular exercise. In the book "Longevity Decoded: the Seven Keys to Healthy Aging" by Stephen Schimpff MD, MACP identifies a healthy diet, exercise, enough sleep, avoiding tobacco, limiting stress, brain stimulation, and active social engagement as keys to living larger and healthier lives.

https://medicine.yale.edu/news/yale-medicine-magazine/article/longevity-decoded-the-seven-keys-to-healthy-aging/

His argument is an exemplar of the many facets that go into living a long life. Health and longevity are achieved through a compilation of decisions, that combine to create a healthy lifestyle.

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You did an excellent job of pointing out the various elements that affect life expectancy outside of regular exercise. The book "Longevity Decoded: the Seven Keys to Healthy Aging" by Stephen Schimpff, MD, MACP, lists the following as the keys to living longer and healthier lives: a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, abstaining from tobacco, reducing stress, brain stimulation, and active social interaction.

Answer 2

While the studies show valid evidence and reasoning for physical activity increasing your life span, it is still theoretical as the studies are predicting the effects from physical activity using metrics from 2006. It also doesn't account for a change in lifestyle and physical activity since the study was conducted. These flaws are acknowledged in the CNN article but that doesn't mean they aren't there. Generally though, the data comes from the National Center for Health Statistics, a reliable and reputable source therefore validating the statistics in the study.

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2024/10/07/bjsports-2024-108125

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/15/health/physical-activity-extend-life-expectancy-wellness/index.html

Comments

Your careful criticism of the limits of the research emphasizes significant factors for interpretation of its results. Although certain arguments might further contextualize the validity and significance of the findings, acknowledging the theoretical character of forecasting life duration changes based on earlier data is legitimate.

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You did a good job answering the question. I especially liked that you looked into the data and the time it was released. I enjoyed your critical thinking about the lifestyle change from 2006. I don’t like that your answer didn’t really answer the question. It seems like you’re leaning both ways which is unhelpful as the answer.

Answer 3

The claim of increased exercise increasing lifespan by 5-10 years is true. The CNN article provides several studies and methodology for how the conclusion was reached. Included in the article is also a disclaimer that the exact lifespan increase is theoretical because the data used is old, and doesn't take into account other factors that may impact health. Looking at other sources the Harvard Health Blog corroborates the claim that exercise is beneficial to health. Their study found that being fit is associated with living longer.

Harvard Health Blog post:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-exercise-extend-your-life-2019031316207

Comments

I agree with you that this claim is true.

I think you did a good job at utilizing a credible source to support your claim. I appreciate that you also included the disclaimer from the article, stating that the data used is old and does not take into account various other facts that may impact health.

After doing some research, I also found sources that confirm that this claim is true. According to Allina Health, moderate physical exercise can increase life expectancy.

https://www.allinahealth.org/healthysetgo/move/exercise-is-key-to-living-longer

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I think you make a great point by highlighting the disclaimer in the CNN article that the exact lifespan increase is based on older data. What’s also interesting is that many factors can influence how exercise translates to a longer life, such as, genetics, diet, and healthcare. Great job bringing in other sources to back up the claim!

Answer 4

The claim that increased exercise can add 5-10 years to your life is supported by research, but there are some nuances to consider. In a CNN article, various studies are cited to support the claim, although the article acknowledges that the exact number is theoretical. The data used in these studies are based on older research and don't account for all factors that may affect health outcomes, such as advances in medical treatments. Despite this, the evidence strongly suggests that regular physical activity is beneficial to overall health and longevity. A similar claim is found in a AllinaHealth article which highlights how being physically fit is associated with a longer life.

AllinaHealth article: https://www.allinahealth.org/healthysetgo/move/exercise-is-key-to-living-longer

Answer 5

In the research I found this claim is true. In a Harvard study published in 2019 it was found that, "Research dating back to the late 1980s has consistently shown that aerobic fitness may help extend lives". There are also many other benefits including strengthening bones, positive impacts on mood, and help preventing chronic illnesses.

Can exercise extend your life? - Harvard Health

Answer 6

The CNN article is fairly reliable overall. It builds credibility by referencing a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal known for its rigorous standards. This adds a solid foundation, especially since the study is supported by prior research and expert commentary from public health professionals. The inclusion of methodological details, such as the use of accelerometers for activity measurement, strengthens its scientific basis.

 

Moreover, the article balances its claims by acknowledging potential limitations. It points out that the projections for life expectancy gains are theoretical and based on older activity data, which may not fully reflect current trends. Such transparency increases the reliability of the information, as it openly addresses the study's constraints rather than presenting overly definitive conclusions.

 

However, the article does have flaws. For instance, it doesn’t sufficiently discuss other critical factors like diet, genetics, or socioeconomic influences that might also impact longevity. Additionally, while the findings are promising, they rely heavily on modeling, which may oversimplify the complexity of real-world behaviors and health outcomes, causing lack of reliability in a rather complex real-world situations.

 

Lastly, similar arguments can be found in other articles, increasing its reliability. For example, essay from Reimers published by National Library of Medicine goes through 11 studies to give the conclusion that being active can extend 0.4 to 4.2 years of life expectancy. The reliability of the publisher, the large coverage of studies, and the scientific conclusion, admitting different in exact years all increase the reliability of this article.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3395188/

Comments

Great fact check you have. Pointing out that it is going to be different from person to person based on a number of things such as genetics, and diet. This is important because everyone is functions differently from the next person. It's going to take just more than regular exercise to sustain a long and fruitful life. Also adding a study into this is another great piece of evidence. Maybe just add another source, but overall great!