The Study
Associations Between Resistance Training and All-Cause Mortality: NHANES 1999-2006.
This study asked people if they did strength training and then checked if they lived longer over many years. It found no clear link, but since people reported their own activity and might have other health differences, we can't say strength training causes longer life — only that it wasn't clearly linked here.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Scientists checked if people who lift weights live longer than those who don't, using data from thousands of U.S. adults over 13 years.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 544 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Even with lots of weightlifting (up to 2033 MET-minutes/month), there was no measurable survival benefit compared to none.
- 2About 11% met the weightlifting guidelines (2+ times/week).
- 3People who lifted weights more often or longer didn't live longer than those who didn't.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
American journal of lifestyle medicine
Year
2024
Authors
Robert Booker, Mandy Wong, William R Boyer, Jessica S. Gorzelitz, Mercedes R. Carnethon, S. Alexandria
Related Content
Claims (2)
People who do 90 to 120 minutes of strength training each week have a lower risk of dying from any cause and live longer than those who do not.
In U.S. adults, engaging in resistance training at or below the recommended frequency or volume does not show a statistically detectable link to changes in the risk of death from any cause over 13 years, even when accounting for age, sex, and other forms of physical activity.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.