Physical activity preserves and enhances health and represents a fundamental strategy for the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases and the promotion of longevity. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2024) recommends that adults and individuals aged 65 years and older engage in at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week. Additionally, muscle-strengthening activities involving major muscle groups should be performed on at least two days per week at moderate or higher intensity. However, the WHO (2024) guidelines remain relatively general and do not provide specific recommendations regarding the type, modality, frequency, and intensity of weekly exercise that would have the most significant long-term impact on health and longevity. Therefore, the aim of this master’s thesis was to conduct a systematic analysis of scientific publications published between January 1994 and January 2024 in the Mendeley and PubMed databases, in order to determine which form, type, frequency, and intensity of weekly physical exercise are most effective for adults and individuals aged 65 years and older in preventing chronic non-communicable diseases and reducing all-cause mortality. Articles were identified using the keywords »physical activity, adults, frequency, intensity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, longevity«. All studies addressing physical exercise in adults and older adults (≥ 65 years), cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and all-cause mortality were considered for inclusion. A total of 304 publications were identified in the selected databases. Based on relevance, 77 studies were examined in detail, and findings from 33 studies were included in the final analysis. The results indicate that the optimal weekly volume of physical activity for health promotion and longevity corresponds to three to five times the minimum WHO recommendations, namely 150–300 minutes of vigorous-intensity or 300–600 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Regular engagement in vigorous-intensity physical activity (>6 METs) was most strongly associated with a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and all-cause mortality among adults and individuals aged 65 years and older. In particular, racket sports, which combine high intensity, muscular strength, and coordination, demonstrated especially strong protective effects. Similarly, regular resistance training of major muscle groups performed two to three times per week was associated with a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and all-cause mortality. The most appropriate weekly duration of resistance training was found to be 40 to 60 minutes. Furthermore, regular weekly balance and flexibility training among individuals aged 65 years and older was significantly associated with improved functional capacity, reduced risk of falls—a common cause of fractures and related health complications in older adults—and consequently lower mortality risk. Such training was also associated with greater independence and improved quality of life in later years. Based on the analysis of the reviewed studies, it can be concluded that regular weekly vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise combined with resistance training significantly reduces the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases and all-cause mortality. Physical exercise therefore represents one of the most important strategies for maintaining and enhancing health, vitality, and quality of life.
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