Physical activity & life expectancy
Regular movement is the most evidence-backed longevity intervention there is — no medicine matches its breadth of benefit.
Why it matters (the mechanism)
Exercise improves cardiovascular fitness, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, mood and immune function at once, lowering the risk of the biggest killers simultaneously.
The evidence
150 minutes/week of moderate activity is linked to a 31% lower all-cause mortality rate; even 15 minutes a day adds about 3 years of life expectancy (Wen et al., Lancet 2011; WHO guidelines).
What to do
- Aim for the WHO target: 150 minutes of moderate (or 75 of vigorous) activity a week.
- Even 15 minutes of brisk walking daily measurably lowers mortality — start there if you are sedentary.
- Add two short strength sessions a week to preserve muscle and bone with age.
- Break up long sitting; frequent movement matters alongside formal exercise.
And the chance of reaching 100?
Your odds of reaching 100 rise steeply with your overall forecast. As an illustration, a forecast age of 85 implies roughly a 6.7% chance of reaching 100; a forecast of 92 implies around 21%. Factors like physical activity shift where your forecast lands. Get your personal figure in the calculator.
These figures are population-average estimates from peer-reviewed research, applied on top of the official life-table baseline for your country, sex and birth cohort — the US Social Security Administration period life tables, the UK Office for National Statistics, and the WHO Global Health Observatory. They describe statistical tendencies, not personal certainties, and are not medical advice.
Other factors
Frequently Asked Questions
See how physical activity and everything else combine in your forecast — plus your chance of reaching 100.
Life Expectancy Calculator →