When discussing physical activity, the same question always returns: which sport is best for living longer and feeling better?
Research conducted by a team of scientists was published in the medical journal BMJ Medicine and is based on data from two very well-known, large, long-term prospective studies in the United States:
Nurses' Health Study (started in 1976)
Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (started in 1986)
These studies collected health and lifestyle data from more than 100,000 healthcare professionals over decades.
The research does not just compare people who exercise with those who do not. It also compares different types of activity and evaluates their relationship with overall mortality and certain specific causes.
Here is the research: https://bmjmedicine.bmj.com/content/5/1/e001513
Below is a summary of the results by sporting activity. The horizontal axis shows the percentage reduction in the risk of death, so the higher the value, the better the physical activity is for health:
What they found
Almost all activities, except swimming, are associated with lower mortality.
The dose–response relationships are “non-linear”: in practice, benefits do not grow proportionally as activity increases. There is often a substantial gain when moving from little to moderate activity, followed by a levelling off.
Doing more types of activity (variety) is associated with lower mortality even when the total amount of activity is the same. In the group with the greatest variety, all-cause mortality was 19% lower, and cause-specific mortality was 13–41% lower.
Which activities are “better for us” in this study
Looking at HR (Hazard ratio, meaning the mortality risk rate) in the highest categories compared with the lowest (lower = better), the approximate order is as follows (below 1 indicates that the activity has a positive impact on longevity and reduces the likelihood of death):
Walking: HR 0.83, approximately 17% lower
Tennis or squash: HR 0.85, approximately 15% lower
Rowing or callisthenics: HR 0.86, approximately 14% lower
Running: HR 0.87, approximately 13% lower
Weights or resistance exercises: HR 0.87, approximately 13% lower
Jogging: HR 0.89, approximately 11% lower
Climbing stairs: HR 0.90, approximately 10% lower
Cycling: HR 0.96, approximately 4% lower
Swimming: HR 1.01, no clear reduction (95% CI includes 1)
Important note: these differences do not mean that an activity directly “causes” more years of life, because the study is observational. There may be differences between people who choose certain activities and those who do not (initial health, habits, socioeconomic context, inaccurate measurement of time spent swimming, etc.). However, the general message is very solid: regular movement is associated with lower mortality, and doing different activities seems to provide an additional advantage.
What to do in practice
If the aim is to maximise the benefits, this study suggests combining aerobic endurance activities (brisk walking, light running, cycling, racket sports) with strength training (weights or bodyweight exercises), and increasing variety over time. Above all, choose what you can maintain in the long term, because the strength here lies precisely in regular commitment.