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

Public health guidance includes strength-promoting exercise (SPE) but there is little evidence on its links with mortality. Using data from 11 cohorts we examined the associations between SPE (gym-based and own bodyweight strength activities) and all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression examine the associations between SPE (any, low/high volume, adherence to SPE guideline) and mortality. The core sample comprised 80,306 adults aged ≥30 years corresponding to 5,763 any cause deaths (681,790 person years). Following exclusions for prevalent disease/events in the first 24 months, participation in any SPE was favorably associated with all cause (0.77, 95% confidence interval: 0.69 to 0.87) and cancer mortality (0.69, 0.56 to 0.86). Adhering only to the SPE guideline of (≥2 sessions/week) was associated with cancer (0.66, 0.48 to 0.92) and all-cause (0.79, 0.66 to 0.94) mortality; adhering only to the aerobic guideline (150 minutes/week of moderate or 75 minutes/week of vigorous intensity or equivalent combinations) was associated with all-cause (0.84, 0.78 to 0.90) and CVD (0.78, 0.68 to 0.90) mortality. Adherence to both guidelines was associated with all-cause (0.71, 0.57 to 0.87), and cancer (0.70, 0.50 to 0.98) mortality. Our results support promoting adherence to the strength exercise guidelines over and above the generic physical activity targets.