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A large UK study found that people with higher physical activity levels — whether self-reported or tracked by a wrist device — had a significantly lower risk of developing ALS. Both moderate and high activity levels were linked to roughly a 23–26% reduced risk compared to low activity. The findings suggest that staying active could play a meaningful role in ALS prevention, even in genetically at-risk groups.
A prospective study of nearly 385,000 UK Biobank participants found that higher physical activity levels were associated with a meaningfully lower risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Participants were followed for a median of 14 years, with physical activity assessed both through self-reported questionnaires and wrist-worn accelerometers.
The protective effect held across multiple measurement methods and activity types. Notably, even individuals with a genetic predisposition to ALS — specifically those with C-allele homozygosity at a key UNC13A variant — showed a stronger benefit from higher device-measured activity levels.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: ALS remains a devastating and largely untreatable disease, making prevention strategies critically important. These findings suggest that regular physical activity — at levels achievable by the general population — may offer a protective benefit, and importantly, should not be discouraged even in high-risk groups.
