Does Strength-Promoting Exercise Confer Unique Health Benefits? A Pooled Analysis of Data on 11 Population Cohorts With All-Cause, Cancer, and Cardiovascular Mortality Endpoints

Abstract

Public health guidance includes recommendations to engage in strength-promoting exercise (SPE), but there is little evidence on its links with mortality. Using data from the Health Survey for England and the Scottish Health Survey from 1994-2008, we examined the associations between SPE (gym-based and own-body-weight strength activities) and all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular disease mortality. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression was used to examine the associations between SPE (any, low-/high-volume, and adherence to the SPE guideline (≥2 sessions/week)) and mortality. The core sample comprised 80,306 adults aged ≥30 years, corresponding to 5,763 any-cause deaths (736,463 person-years). Following exclusions for prevalent disease/events occurring in the first 24 months, participation in any SPE was favorably associated with all-cause (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.69, 0.87) and cancer (HR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56, 0.86) mortality. Adhering only to the SPE guideline was associated with all-cause (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.94) and cancer (HR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.48, 0.92) mortality; adhering only to the aerobic activity guideline (equivalent to 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity activity) was associated with all-cause (HR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.78, 0.90) and cardiovascular disease (HR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.68, 0.90) mortality. Adherence to both guidelines was associated with all-cause (HR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.87) and cancer (HR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.50, 0.98) mortality. Our results support promoting adherence to the strength exercise guidelines over and above the generic physical activity targets.

The effect of short‐duration resistance training on insulin sensitivity and muscle adaptations in overweight men

“…The present data add to the evidence base for the health benefits of resistance exercise, which includes a reduction in blood pressure, improvements in blood lipids and an association with lower mortality (Cornelissen, Fagard, Coeckelberghs, & Vanhees, 2011;Stamatakis et al, 2018). Thus, it is clear why the physical activity recommendations include muscle-strengthening activities (World Health Organzation, 2011).…”

A review of global surveillance on the muscle strengthening and balance elements of physical activity recommendations

“…One of the challenges in establishing the independent and joint effects is that those meeting the muscle strengthening recommendation tend to also be aerobically active. Typically, less than 5% of a nationally representative sample meets the muscle strengthening recommendation only 21,22 . Secondly, there is a need to establish the extent to which activities that improve aerobic fitness are the same as activities that strengthen muscles and improve balance and coordination.…”

Handgrip strength, inflammatory markers, and mortality

“…1 The health benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness are well established 2 although less is known about muscle strength. 3,4 Handgrip strength is a valid measure of physical function/ performance that has been widely used in observational cohort studies and clinical settings. [5][6][7][8] Several studies have shown that handgrip strength is inversely associated with risk of mortality [9][10][11] although the mechanisms linking muscle strength and disease outcomes are poorly understood.…”