How to choose a house to help you live longer

Your home has a big impact on your health and longevity. Here are the types of homes that can make you fat and the key factors that make a house long-lived.

 

A large-scale Japanese study has found that the living environment can indeed affect weight and longevity. Professor Tetsuya Ohira of the Faculty of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University points out that 60 years of follow-up data shows that farmers have become increasingly overweight in recent years. The key factors are where they live and how much exercise they do.

 

The results revealed three key factors to consider when choosing a home, which can boost health and longevity by making it easier for people to increase their daily exercise, while also creating a livable home environment.

Why do farmers gain weight?

Farmers always give people the impression of "manual labor", but a 60-year Japanese "CIRCS (Regional Cardiovascular Risk Study) Study" that followed more than 10,000 people found that the weight of farmers in Akita Prefecture has continued to increase in recent years.

Professor Tetsuya Ohira analyzed that with the spread of agricultural mechanization, farming no longer requires as much physical effort as before. In addition, due to inconvenient rural transportation, people are increasingly dependent on vehicles, and the opportunity to walk is becoming less and less. The sudden decrease in physical activity makes it easy for excess fat to accumulate.

A survey found that men in Tokyo walk an average of 8,600 steps a day, but Akita residents walk just over 6,000 steps. Urban residents are 'forced' to walk because of convenient transportation, while rural residents rely more on driving due to inconvenient transportation, and their daily activity levels are significantly lower.

 

Professor Tetsuya Ohira also confirmed this from his own experience. After moving from Osaka to Fukushima, he switched to driving to work, and his daily steps decreased from 11,000 to 3,000. Coupled with the rich flavor of country cuisine and a rich appetite, he quickly gained 2 kg. He frankly admitted that if he had not actively controlled his diet and formed the habit of climbing stairs, he would have gained weight long ago!

Can choosing the right house help you live long without any trouble? How to choose a healthy and long-lived house? Here are 3 key points to create a "long-lived" house.

Professor Ohira emphasizes that it is not the specific city or district that affects your health, but the environment you live in. By mastering three key conditions, you can unconsciously incorporate exercise into your daily life and build an anti-aging muscle.

 

Only 15 minutes walk from public transport

It can be difficult to find time to go to the gym every day, so why not incorporate exercise into your daily routine? Ideally, you should live within a 15-minute walk of your train station or workplace. This way, you can naturally build in 20 minutes of walking into your daily commute, achieving the desired benefits of aerobic exercise.

Getting more active is the first step to a healthier lifestyle. And you don't have to force yourself to walk 10,000 steps a day. A meta-analysis published in The Lancet Public Health in 2025 found that walking 7,000 steps a day can cut your risk of death by nearly half. It also helps protect your blood vessels and prevent atherosclerosis, which is important for brain health. Plus, the further you are from public transport, the more affordable your home will be, meaning you can 'exercise and save money at the same time.' If the distance is too far, cycling is a healthy option.

 

Building without elevator? Choose 4th or 5th floor for better health

Don't underestimate the power of climbing stairs every day! As we age, muscle mass decreases, and walking up and down stairs every day is the most natural leg exercise.

Luxury high-rises rely entirely on elevators for mobility, which reduces exercise opportunities and can even discourage people from leaving their homes. This lack of social interaction can also pose health risks for seniors. So choosing a fourth or fifth floor apartment is an advantage; simply living there could force you to move.

It is best to have a park near your home.

Having a park right on your doorstep is like having a natural gym! Morning walks, community gyms, dancing and using exercise equipment are simple, free activities that can significantly increase your physical activity.

For example, a regular horizontal bar can exercise the back and arms, a large wheel can enhance the mobility of the shoulder joints and the strength of the upper limbs, a treadmill can stretch the leg and hip muscles, and a waist rotation can help rotate and stretch the back, promoting blood circulation. As long as you use it correctly, you can maintain better health while exercising more.