Vitality has published data on how its life insurance customers who move from inactive lifestyles to active ones, can extend their lives by five years.
The findings come from a study spanning seven years and looking at more than 465,000 Vitality members based in South Africa.
The study compared the physical activity of individuals, observed over time, to measure the causal impact of increased physical activity on mortality among previously inactive members.
The study, peer-reviewed by the London School of Economics (LSE), found those who went from an inactive lifestyle to an active one could reduce their mortality by up to 57%, which is equivalent to increasing their life expectancy by five years.
Vitality said the LSE verified that the results would be comparable for members in the UK.
The biggest improvements in life expectancy were seen in those who went on to be active five days a week, doing for example, a run or walking 10,000 steps per day.
Those who increased their activity levels by a lesser extent – getting active only one or two days a week – still increased their life expectancy, on average, by more than two years, demonstrating that even small lifestyle changes can lead to significant health benefits.
The benefits of exercise and its links to mortality, were also found to be achievable for adults up to the age of 70, demonstrating that it’s never too late for people to improve their health by becoming more active.
Vitality said the findings show the powerful role that insurance can play in supporting a healthier society, in particular reducing mortality rates, by considering how the Vitality model is shifting people’s behaviour, through rewarding and incentivising people to be active through the Vitality Programme, creating ‘healthy habits’ that people stick with.
Justin Taurog, managing director of Vitality Life, (pictured) said: “Living a healthier life, comes with a multitude of benefits, and this study shows it will not only help you live better today, but support you to live for many more years too, up to five more in fact.
“Insurance is no longer one dimensional; only there for when you need to claim.
“This study effectively highlights the impact we have been able to have, and the role we are playing in shaping the health and wellbeing for our members throughout their lives.
“But these findings go far beyond insurance – it is time for a change in how we all think about health, focusing on prevention, rather than only being there at the point someone needs treatment or care.
“In doing so, and playing our role in this, where we further challenge ourselves to continual development of our programme, embedding more science and behaviour change modelling as it becomes available, we can, and will, change so many more lives for the better.”
