Exercise Extends Life, Study Finds

Exercise can add years to life, according to a new study from Australia.

Regular physical activity has been linked with reduced brain damage and increased life satisfaction. The new study, conducted by University of Western Australia shows that exercise can even extend life.

The study included over 12,000 Australian men. Researchers found that 150 minutes of vigorous activity per week added two to three years to life. Regular physical activity was also linked with successful aging; with exercisers having lower risk of depression, memory loss or cognitive disability.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that people should get at least 150 minutes moderate intensity physical activity every week.

"So not only were active people more likely than non-active people to survive, but those who were alive and active when we followed up had reached old age in good shape, without evidence of depression or of cognitive or functional problems," Professor Osvaldo Almeida, lead author of the study said.

"In other words they were able to move about and do their business without significant assistance - looking after their finances, looking after themselves, looking after their house etc, and they did not have any evidence of mental illness," Almeida said in a news release.

The study is published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

According to a recent study published in Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, aerobic exercise is better than mental exercise to keep brain healthy in old age.  Exercise has also been found to be helpful in protecting from future stress and anxiety.