Types of PA
NEW EXCITING STUDY
💡 Han et al. (2026) recently published an intriguing study in which the research team analysed data from two prospective cohort studies—the Nurses' Health Study (1986–2018) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986–2020)—to investigate the associations between long-term engagement in individual physical activities and physical activity variety with the risk of mortality.
EXERCISE IS GREAT, BUT WHICH TYPE IS BEST?
🧠 Total physical activity levels are well-established to correlate with reduced mortality, following a non-linear dose-response relationship. However, research on the impact of specific types of physical activities remains limited. Prior studies indicate that various physical activities may offer unique physiological benefits. The potential advantages of long-term participation in multiple types of physical activities, beyond the overall volume of physical activity, are not yet fully understood.
NON-LINEAR RESULTS
📈 The study by Han et al. (2026) revealed that engaging in total physical activity, as well as most individual types of physical activities, is linked to a reduced risk of mortality. The relationship between physical activity and mortality was found to be non-linear, meaning that the benefits of physical activity increase up to a certain point, after which the additional benefits plateau or diminish. This suggests there may be a threshold level of physical activity beyond which further increases do not significantly enhance health outcomes.
VARIATION IS THE BEST?
🎖️ The study found that a straightforward measure of physical activity variety—based on the number of different types of physical activities a person consistently engages in—was linked to lower mortality rates. Importantly, this association was independent of the total amount of physical activity performed. This indicates that participating in a diverse range of physical activities over the long term may provide unique health benefits that contribute to increased longevity, beyond simply increasing overall physical activity levels.
LIMITATIONS
⚠️ Since this is an observational study, there are inherent limitations, such as the inability to establish causation and the potential for residual confounding factors. For instance, individuals who engage in diverse physical activities may also have other healthy lifestyle habits that contribute to reduced mortality risk, which were not fully accounted for.
ONE PIECE OF A BIG PUZZLE
→ However, the findings still provide valuable evidence supporting the idea that encouraging participation in a variety of physical activity types, along with increasing overall physical activity levels, may play a significant role in reducing the risk of premature death. Further research, including randomised controlled trials, is needed to confirm these associations and explore underlying mechanisms.
//Magnus Ringberg
