(Press-News.org) **Embargo: 23.30 [UK time] / 6.30pm [US ET] Tuesday 13th January 2026**
Peer-reviewed / Systematic Review + Meta-analysis / People
Moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking at a an average speed of 5 km/h (3 mph) for an extra five minutes a day is associated with a 10% reduction in all deaths in the majority of adults [1] (who accumulate around 17 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on average), and around 6% of all deaths in the least active adults [2] (those who are active at this intensity on average for around 2 minutes a day), according to a new study published in The Lancet.
The study also found that reducing sedentary time by 30 minutes per day was associated with an estimated 7% reduction in all deaths if adopted by the majority of adults (who spend 10 hours being sedentary per day), and around 3% of all deaths if adopted by the most sedentary adults (who spend 12 hours being sedentary per day on average). The greatest benefit was observed if the least active 20% of the population increased their activity by 5 minutes per day.
Current estimates of preventable deaths from increased physical activity and reduced time spent inactive rely on self-reported activity data and assume that people must meet WHO guidelines [3], overlooking the health benefits of even small increases in physical activity. Previous evidence from device-measured physical activity suggests that not only moderate-to-vigorous activity (such as walking at a moderate pace), but also light-intensity activity and reduced time spent sedentary, may be associated with a lower risk of death. However, the overall effect of these smaller, achievable changes on the population-level risk of death had not previously been studied.
The new study analysed data from more than 135,000 adults across seven cohorts in Norway, Sweden, and the United States, as well as the UK Biobank, with follow-ups averaging eight years. Using device-measured physical activity and time spent sedentary, the researchers estimated the proportion of deaths potentially preventable by small daily increases in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity or reductions in sedentary time. The study also found that being active at least at moderate intensity for an additional 10 minutes per day was associated with a 15% reduction in all deaths among most adults and a 9% reduction among the least active adults. A one-hour reduction in sedentary time among the majority of adults was associated with a 13% reduction in all deaths, and a 6% reduction among the least active adults. The estimated proportions of preventable deaths due to the same increases in time at moderate intensity and reductions in sedentary time in the UK Biobank cohort were lower but still substantial. The authors note that, as with any observational study, residual confounding or unmeasured factors, such as mobility limitations could influence results, and the associations cannot definitively establish causation.
The authors say that these estimates provide important evidence on the wide range of public health impacts associated with even small positive changes in physical activity and inactivity. However, they emphasize that these findings are meant to highlight potential benefits for the population as a whole and should not be used as personalised advice, such as specific exercise recommendations for individuals. More research using wearable activity trackers is needed in low- and middle-income countries, where people’s ages, activity levels, and health risks may differ significantly from those in this study.
[1] Defined as all but the most active 20% of the population.
[2] Defined as the least active 20% of the population.
[3] https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128
Post-embargo URL: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02219-6/fulltext
-
**Embargo: 23.30 [UK time] / 6.30pm [US ET] Tuesday 13th January 2026**
Peer-reviewed / Observational + Modelling Study / People
eClinicalMedicine: When combined, small improvements in sleep, physical activity, and diet are linked with a longer life, study suggests
For people with the unhealthiest sleep, physical activity and dietary habits [1], making a few combined tweaks to these behaviours could have a significant impact on overall lifespan, suggests a new study published in eClinicalMedicine journal (part of The Lancet Discovery Science suite of journals). For example, an additional five minutes of sleep, two minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (such as brisk walking or taking the stairs) and an additional half a serving of vegetables per day could theoretically lead to an extra year of life for those with the worst existing sleep, physical activity, and dietary habits.
Sleep, physical activity, and nutrition are important factors for lifespan and reducing risk of disease, however they are often studied in isolation. This is the first study of its kind to investigate the minimum combined improvements in sleep, physical activity and diet to lead to a significantly longer lifespan and years spent in good health.
The study looked at almost 60,000 people in the UK Biobank cohort recruited between 2006-2010 and followed for an average of eight years. Authors estimated lifespan and years spent in good health across different variations of behaviours using a statistical model. Compared to people with the worst sleep, physical activity and dietary habits, the model suggested that the most optimal combination of these behaviours - seven to eight hours of sleep per day, more than 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day and a healthy diet - was associated with over nine years of additional lifespan and years spent in good health.
The authors highlight that the combined relationship of sleep, physical activity and diet is larger than the sum of the individual behaviours. For example, for people with the unhealthiest sleep, physical activity and dietary habits to achieve one additional year of lifespan through sleep alone would require five times the amount of additional sleep per day (25 minutes) than if physical activity and diet also improved a small amount.
Authors say their findings suggest that, when combined, very small improvements in sleep, physical activity and diet could lead to meaningful changes in lifespan and years spent in good health for those with poor current habits in these areas, and that this offers a more feasible and sustainable starting place for making behaviour change. However, they caution that additional studies are needed to examine the translation of these findings into clinical and public health practice.
[1] The reference point of the study was people in the cohort in the lowest 5th percentile of sleep (5.5 hours/day), physical activity (7.3 mins/day), and nutrition (36.9/100 diet quality score).
Post-embargo URL: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(25)00676-5/fulltext
END
THE LANCET + eCLINICALMEDICINE: Two studies on reductions in mortality from small changes lifestyle changes
2026-01-14
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
AI model identifies how every country can improve its cancer outcomes
2026-01-14
For the first time, researchers have used machine learning – a type of artificial intelligence (AI) – to identify the most important drivers of cancer survival in nearly all the countries in the world.
The study, which is published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology [1] today (Wednesday), provides information on which improvements or policy changes can be made in each country that would have the greatest impact on improving cancer survival. By going to the online tool created by the researchers, anyone can find ...
Young people risk drifting into serious online offenses through a slippery slope of high-risk digital behavior
2026-01-14
New findings from the University of East London show that online risk-taking is widespread among young people, with behaviours such as digital piracy, accessing risky online spaces or engaging with harmful content having a high potential to lead to more serious offenses.
Interviews with convicted cybercriminals in the UK and Switzerland revealed a diverse cohort spanning a wide age range and offence types, from hacking and digital fraud to sexual offences carried out online. Nearly half (47%) reported engaging ...
Implant provides lasting relief for treatment-resistant depression
2026-01-13
About 20% of U.S. adults experience major depression in their lifetime. For most people, symptoms improve within a few treatment attempts, but up to one-third of patients have treatment-resistant depression, for which standard antidepressant medication or psychotherapy isn’t enough. Now, a study shows that a small, implanted device may provide substantial, long-lasting relief to people with the most severe treatment-resistant depression.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. ...
Autologous T cell therapy targeting multiple antigens shows promise treating pancreatic cancer
2026-01-13
A recent publication in Nature Medicine describes a novel immunotherapy targeting pancreatic cancer that has shown promising results in a first in-human phase 1/2 trial. The TACTOPS trial, which investigated the safety and clinical effects of autologous T cell therapy targeting multiple tumor antigens, was a collaboration between researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital.
“We wanted to ...
First extensive study into marsupial gut microbiomes reveals new microbial species and antimicrobial resistance
2026-01-13
Marsupials are a group of mammals that encompass many of Australia's most iconic animals, unique because of their geographically isolated evolution. Despite their household names, their microbiomes remain under-researched.
"Understanding marsupial gut microbiomes advances our knowledge of host-microbiome evolution, helps explain adaptations to challenging diets like eucalyptus, and supports conservation efforts for threatened species through improved health management,” says Kate Bowerman, a microbiologist at the University of Queensland (UQ) and co-author ...
Study debunks myth of native Hawaiians causing bird extinctions
2026-01-13
Challenging a 50-year-old narrative about Hawaiʻi’s native birds, a new study from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa found no scientific evidence that Indigenous People hunted waterbird species to extinction. Published in the journal Ecosphere, the research debunks this long-held myth and offers a new, integrated theory to explain the disappearances.
Researchers found no evidence that Indigenous People over-hunted birds to extinction. Instead, the authors suggest a new theory: the birds died out because of a combination of climate change, invasive species,and changes in how the land was used—most of which happened either prior to Polynesian ...
Tailored biochar could transform how crops grow, resist disease, and clean polluted soils
2026-01-13
Biochar has long been promoted as a climate-friendly soil amendment, but new research suggests that treating it as a one-size-fits-all solution may be limiting its full potential. A new open-access review published in Biochar shows that engineered biochar works best when it is carefully customized for specific agricultural and environmental goals, from boosting crop yields to suppressing soil-borne diseases and remediating contaminated land.
The international research team reviewed more than a decade of studies on engineered biochar and its interactions in the rhizosphere, the thin zone of soil surrounding ...
Biochar-based enzyme technology offers new path for cleaner water and soil
2026-01-13
A growing body of research suggests that combining enzymes with biochar, a carbon-rich material made from agricultural and organic waste, could transform how scientists clean polluted water and soil. A new review published in Biochar provides the most comprehensive overview to date of how biochar-immobilized enzymes work, why they are effective, and what challenges remain before the technology can be widely applied.
Environmental pollution from industrial chemicals, dyes, pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, and heavy metals continues to threaten ecosystems and human health worldwide. Traditional treatment methods often rely on energy-intensive processes or chemical reagents that can ...
Biochar helps farmland soils withstand extreme rain and drought by steadying carbon loss
2026-01-13
Researchers led by Yue Pan at Shenyang Agricultural University tested how swings between wet and dry conditions affect soil organic carbon breakdown in a clay loam Alfisol from Northeast China, and whether biochar can soften these impacts. The team incubated soils for 90 days under three moisture patterns and three levels of corn straw biochar to mimic the more extreme rainfall expected under climate change.
The study showed that stronger moisture variability sped up soil organic carbon decomposition, increasing cumulative carbon dioxide release by up to 17.2 percent compared with constant moisture. At the same time, fluctuating moisture boosted soil microbial activity and shifted the ...
New study reveals major gaps in global forest maps
2026-01-13
For decades, global efforts to combat climate change and protect biodiversity have relied on a high-tech promise: that satellite-derived maps can tell us exactly where the world's forests are.
But a new study from the University of Notre Dame reveals that these digital baselines are often in sharp disagreement, creating confusion that threatens to undermine effective climate funding and international development efforts. Because these maps determine everything from carbon storage estimates to the enactment of conservation policies, even small discrepancies can have serious ...