Even minimal lifestyle changes can significantly prolong life - scientists conclude

The authors of two major studies published in The Lancet and eClinicalMedicine came to this conclusion.

One of the studies was carried out by an international team led by Norwegian scientists. The researchers analysed data from prospective cohorts and estimated how many deaths could be prevented by slightly increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time.

According to the calculations, just five minutes a day of additional moderate to vigorous physical activity could prevent up to 6 per cent of all deaths if such changes were made among the least active people. If almost the entire population, except the most active, added those five minutes of movement, the proportion of potentially prevented deaths would rise to 10 per cent.

Reducing sedentary time showed a similar effect. Reducing it by 30 minutes a day was associated with a potential reduction in mortality of 3 per cent among the least active people and more than 7 per cent in a wider population.

A second study by Australian researchers looked at the combined effects of sleep, physical activity and diet. The scientists found that even small simultaneous improvements in all three areas were associated with increased years of life and health.

Optimal sleep of 7.2-8 hours, more than 42 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day, and a high quality diet were associated with an increase in life expectancy of more than 9 years.

And even minimal changes had a measurable effect. An extra five minutes of sleep a day, about two minutes of physical activity and a small improvement in diet quality were associated with an increase of about one year of life expectancy. More pronounced but still realistic changes - for example, about 24 minutes of sleep and less than four minutes of activity per day - were associated with four additional years of healthy life.

The authors of both papers emphasise that their findings are particularly important for public health. Rather than focusing solely on rigid lifestyle recommendations, the results show the value of small but sustainable changes that are easier to incorporate into daily life.

The researchers note that sleep, movement and nutrition are closely linked, and improving several habits at once can have a more pronounced effect than working on each one individually.