The only way to eat healthy and exercise will help you live longer

New research reveals a sad reality — No matter how much you exercise or how healthy you eat, longer life will only come if you do both together.

The large study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, contradicts the popular belief that exercise eliminates some of the risks of unhealthy eating or that eating healthy counteracts staying in bed all day.

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The researchers had a lot of data at their disposal, which allowed them to publish an in-depth study that shed light on many questions. The data belonged to the UK Biobank and came from over 350,000 people, with an average age of 57, who had completed questionnaires about their diet and habits. At the beginning of the study, the participants were healthy.

The study made some anticipated discoveries, such as finding that participants who eat healthily and exercise often had a lower risk of dying. Still, the results showed that a healthy diet and frequent exercise were independently important.

“Physical activity is important. And whatever your physical activity, diet is important,” said Dr. Melody Ding, lead author of the study.

While it seems obvious to emphasize the importance of a healthy diet and an active lifestyle when so many sources do, our world often combines these two elements, leaving people confused. Exercise culture often encourages unhealthy meals as a reward for a good workout or eating healthy to lose weight without exercising.

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What you eat and how often you exercise are issues that have become linked in our culture over the past few decades. You shouldn’t be. It’s important for people to be purposeful about both of these things, having the occasional rest and cravings, while still maintaining a balance between healthy eating and physical activity.