Mediterranean-style diet and regular exercise 'can add YEARS to your life'

Scientists have established a detailed checklist of things to do to help ensure we enjoy a longer healthier existence – with running, brisk walks and other forms of exercise coming out on top.

In the wide-ranging new study, a team of researchers found that getting the heart pumping through exercise does more to increase lifespan than anything else.

In total, regular runs can add just over three years to our lives, with every 60-minute jog adding around seven hours to our existence.

But other exercise that gets the blood pumping is equally useful for those who find pounding the pavements too arduous.

The study, which looked at data from several previous papers from more than 55,000 people aged 18 to 100 over a period of 15 years, also found that eating a Mediterranean diet, stopping smoking, losing weight and drinking half a glass of wine a day, also contribute to our longevity.

But by far the biggest factor for longevity was exercise, and in particular, running.

Lead author of the paper Duck-chul Lee, an assistant professor at Iowa State University where the research was carried out, explained: “We found runners showed bigger significant reductions in mortality than people that are active in other types of exercise.”

Overall, the team found that people who ran and also did other forms of exercise lowered their risk of premature death by a staggering 43 per cent. 

Professor Lee added: “Runners who did not do any other exercise lowered their risk by 30 per cent.

“And people who do other exercise but not running, we found the risk was lower by 12 per cent.”

The research team concluded that running appeared to have a far more beneficial effect than most other lifestyle choices that have long been the focus of health campaigns by governments and the United Nations.

In the UK, heart disease remains the biggest killer, claiming around 160,000 lives a year.

The British Heart Foundation currently recommends that in order to combat the likelihood of cardiovascular disease, we carry out 150 minutes of exercise a week.

A spokesman explained: “Physical activity can help reduce your risk of heart disease. It can also help you control your weight, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol and improve your mental health – helping you to look and feel great.” 

But he added: “If 150 minutes of physical activity a week seems like a lot, don’t worry. You can break it down into ten minute sessions throughout the day and build up from there. 

“Why not try our 10 minute workout? You can do it from the comfort of your own living room.”

The research team who conducted the new study also found there were other lifestyle choices which also led to a reduced risk of premature death.

Professor Lee explained: “If all smokers became non-smokers, it’s about 11 per cent (reduction).”

In addition, for obese people losing weight, the risk was lowered by eight per cent, he said.

Diet is also important, with a Mediterranean diet highly recommended. 

This usually consists of a daily diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans and peas, unrefined grains, olive oil and fish. 

It keeps dairy, meat and saturated fats to a minimum. And you can have a glass of red wine with dinner without cheating. 

Such a diet diet has been consistently linked with health benefits that include helping you manage your weight. 

It also believed to lower your risk for chronic issues such as cardiovascular disease. 

But overall, when it came to ensuring longevity, running was the single lifestyle choice that had most beneficial effect, according to the new research.

Professor Lee, who himself runs twice a week, said that in total, regular running appeared to increase life expectancy by just over three years. Even taking into account the actual time they were running – estimated at six months – joggers would still get an extra 2.8 years of life.

Although self-reporting of the amount of time people in the study said they were running might lead to inaccuracies, Professor Lee said with runners now more and more wearing modern gadgets logging their exercise, the picture of how much exercise adds to our lives would become even more clear in the coming years.

He added: “People have started to wear these activity meters, Fitbits. In the future I assume more accurate data will come out.”

The most recent figures from the Office of National Statistics, showed that life expectancy in the is an average of 79 for men and 83 for women. 

The new longevity study was published in the journal Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases.