Ben Pawlowski
WALKING at a brisk pace for just 15 minutes per day can reduce the risk of an early death by up to 20%, a study has found.
While the health benefits of long periods of slow walking are well known – classed as ‘moving around, walking at work, walking the dog or engaging in light exercise’ – fast walking for as little as a quarter of an hour per day can have immense upsides.
According to researchers from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee in the US, fast walking can include ‘climbing stairs, brisk walking or exercising’.
As part of their study, researchers followed more than 79,000 people from low-income backgrounds across twelve southeastern states for an average of 16.7 years, looking at those who died of any cause over the period.
“Our research has shown that fast walking as little as 15 minutes a day was associated with a nearly 20% reduction in total mortality, while a smaller reduction in mortality was found in association with more than three hours of daily slow walking,” the scientists said.
Participants were asked to track how many minutes per day they spent walking and at what pace.
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The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, concluded: “The protective effect of fast walking extended to all causes of death but was most pronounced for cardiovascular diseases.”
It found that periods of fast walking ‘boost heart efficiency’ and ‘helps control body weight and composition’, reducing the risk of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular issues.
It added that upping the pace of walking had benefits for individuals of all ages and fitness levels.
Lili Liu, an epidemiologist who led the study, said: “The findings of the reduced mortality associated with fast walking pace were supported by previous studies conducted in middle and upper-middle-income populations.
“Individuals should strive to incorporate more intense physical activity into their routines, such as brisk walking or other forms of aerobic exercise.”
So the next time you find yourself strolling along a playa or down a calle, think about cranking up the pace.
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