Moderate evidence

Muscle-strengthening activity is associated with lower all-cause mortality and lower risk of major chronic disease.

In practice

Around 30–60 minutes a week of strengthening work is associated with most of the observed benefit. Lifting is not only cosmetic, and the dose that matters for health is small.

What it doesn't say

These are observational cohorts, so they show association rather than proof of cause, and people who lift differ from people who don't in many other ways.

Source

• Momma H, Kawakami R, Honda T, Sawada SS (2022). Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 56(13):755–763. doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2021-105061