Physical exercise can increase life expectancy by up to 4.5 years according to US research from the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.

The research, which examined data on more than 650,000 adults, mostly above the age of 40, proved that physical exercise could help lengthen the lifespan of everyone, even if they are obese.

The US Department of Health and Human Services, recommends that adults aged 18 to 64 take part in 2.5 hours of moderate intensity exercise, or 1.25 hours of vigorous intensity exercise each week.

Those who did the recommended amount added 3.4 years to their life, those who did twice as much added 4.2 years. Even those who did half the recommended amount added 1.8 years to their lives.

“Our findings highlight the important contribution that leisure time physical activity in adulthood can make to longevity,” said lead author of the study, Steven Moore. “Regular exercise extended the lives in every group that we examined in our study: normal weight, overweight and obese.”