Between 30 and 60 minutes of muscle-strengthening activity every week is linked to a lower risk of death from all causes as well as a reduction in the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, a meta-analysis finds.
Physical activity guidelines already recommend regular muscle-strengthening activities (such as lifting weights and working with resistance bands, push-ups and squats and heavy gardening, including digging and shovelling), largely for musculoskeletal benefit.
Previous studies had shown muscle-strengthening activities were associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality and kidney cancer, but the dose-response association was unknown, researchers wrote in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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To answer the question about the optimal dose, they conducted a systematic review of relevant prospective observational studies, finding 29 potentially eligible studies, of which 16 were included in the meta-analysis.
The studies were published between 2012 to 2020 with the majority conducted in the US, and others from England and Scotland, Australia, and Japan.
The pooled data analysis found muscle-strengthening activities were associated with a 10-17% lower risk of CVD, total cancer, diabetes, lung cancer and all-cause mortality, independent of aerobic activity.
For all-cause mortality, CVD and total cancer, researchers saw a J-shaped association with the maximum risk reduction obtained at approximately 30-60 min/week of muscle-strengthening activities.
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Researchers saw an L-shaped association for diabetes, with the risk of the condition sharply decreasing until 60 min/week of muscle-strengthening activities, followed by a gradual decrease.
‘The influence of a higher volume of muscle-strengthening activities on all-cause mortality, CVD and total cancer is unclear when considering the observed J-shaped associations,’ the study authors concluded.
‘In addition, the combination of muscle-strengthening and aerobic activities may provide a greater benefit for reducing all-cause mortality, CVD and total cancer mortality.’
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The researchers noted the available evidence was limited and said further studies, with more diverse populations, were needed to increase the certainty of the evidence.
‘The longitudinal influence of muscle-strengthening activities on mortality and NCDs [non-communicable diseases] should be further investigated with a focus on the elderly population in future studies,’ they recommended.
