There is a powerful reason for everyone—from the physically active to the deeply sedentary—to add even a few extra minutes of movement to their daily routine.

New landmark research suggests that modest lifestyle changes, such as walking slightly longer or sitting a little less, can meaningfully reduce the risk of death. The findings reinforce a simple but impactful message: small actions can lead to substantial health gains.

A large study published inThe Lancetfound that walking at an average pace for justfive additional minutes a daywas associated with a10 percent reduction in mortalityamong moderately active adults, and a6 percent reductionamong the least active. The benefits were not limited to movement alone. Reducing sedentary time by30 minutes a daywas linked to an estimated7 percent decline in overall deathsif widely adopted, given that most adults spend nearly10 hours a day sitting. Among the most sedentary individuals—those sitting closer to12 hours daily—the reduction was around3 percent.

The largest gains were seen among the least active fifth of the population, where even a five-minute increase in daily movement translated into disproportionately large health benefits.

These conclusions are based on an analysis of data frommore than 135,000 adultsacross seven cohorts in Norway, Sweden, the United States, and the UK Biobank, followed for an average ofeight years.

A separate but complementary study reinforces the same theme: small, combined improvements in everyday habits can meaningfully extend life. Published ineClinicalMedicine, part ofThe Lancetgroup, the research suggests that people with the poorest sleep, physical activity, and dietary patterns could addup to one yearto their lifespan through modest adjustments.

The model estimated that justfive extra minutes of sleep,two additional minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity—such as brisk walking or climbing stairs—andhalf a serving more vegetables each daycould together produce this benefit.

In2024, theWorld Health Organisation (WHO)reported that nearly1.8 billion adults worldwidewere at risk of disease due to insufficient physical activity. The same report noted that almost50 percent of adults in Indiafail to meet recommended activity levels.

Small Moves, Measurable Gains

“These findings are important because they are drawn from large populations followed over long periods,” saidDr Shifalika Goenka, head of health promotion, physical activity, and obesity prevention at theCentre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC).

“They show that even small increases—just five to ten minutes of activity—or reducing sitting time by 30 minutes can make a meaningful difference,” she said.

Dr Goenka added that the message is particularly relevant for older adults, people recovering from illness, and those with desk-bound jobs who sit for extended periods. Current estimates of preventable deaths often rely on self-reported activity data and assume people must meetWHO guidelinesto benefit—an approach that can overlook gains from smaller, more achievable changes.

Evidence from device-based measurements has already suggested thatlight-intensity movement and reduced sitting time, not just structured exercise, are linked to lower mortality risk. Until now, however, the population-wide impact of these modest changes had not been clearly quantified.

The study found that adding10 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per daywas associated with a15 percent reduction in mortalityamong most adults and a9 percent reductionamong the least active. Similarly, cutting sedentary time byone hour a daywas linked to a13 percent reduction in deathsfor most adults and a6 percent reductionamong the least active. While estimates from the UK Biobank alone were slightly lower, the benefits remained substantial.

The authors caution that, as with all observational studies, unmeasured factors—such as underlying health or mobility limitations—could influence the results, and the associations do not prove direct causation.

Adding Years to Life—and Life to Years

Taken together, the findings show that small, simultaneous improvements insleep, physical activity, and diet qualityare associated with meaningful gains in both lifespan and healthspan.

The second study analysed data from nearly60,000 UK Biobank participants, recruited between 2006 and 2010 and followed for abouteight years. Statistical models estimated total lifespan and years spent in good health across different behavioural patterns.

Compared with individuals with the poorest habits, those with the most optimal combination—seven to eight hours of sleep per night, more than40 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity daily, and a healthy diet—were associated withover nine additional yearsof life and good health.

Crucially, researchers found that the combined effect of improving sleep, activity, and diet was greater than the sum of each change alone. For example, gaining one extra year of life through sleep alone would require roughly25 additional minutes of sleep per day—five times more than when small improvements in activity and diet were added.

Dr Goenka, however, offered a note of caution for urban India. In cities with highair quality index (AQI)levels, she said, prolonged exposure to air pollution may blunt some of the benefits of outdoor physical activity, as pollution itself poses significant health risks.