The sport with the lowest life expectancy, according to a recent study from the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Health Sciences, is boxing.

Researchers examined data from more than 100,000 Australian men who were between 20 and 69 years old at the beginning of the study. Then they followed them over a period of 28 years, looking at their risk of mortality.

Participants were asked about their sporty habits when they were first surveyed in 1985. They then answered questions regarding their physical activity level again in 1995 and 2001.

The researchers found that the death rate among boxers was double that of men who didn’t participate in any type of combat sport or martial art. The increased risk of death was most pronounced among younger boxers, with those under 35 having an eight-fold higher chance of dying prematurely compared with non-boxers.

Last modified: August 3, 2022