Regular walking is widely recognized for its significant benefits to overall health and well-being. Previous research has primarily focused on middle-to-high-income White populations. Now, a novel analysis using data from the Southern Community Cohort Study, involving 79,856 predominantly low-income and Black individuals across 12 southeastern US states, confirms the benefits of regular walking, especially at a faster pace, within a crucial, underrepresented group. The new study appearing in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, underscores the importance of promoting walking, particularly at a brisk pace, as an effective form of physical activity for improving health.
Lead investigator Wei Zheng, MD, PhD, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says, “While the health benefits of daily walking are well-established, limited research has investigated effects of factors such as walking pace on mortality, particularly in low-income and Black/African-American populations. 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. This benefit remained strong even after accounting for other lifestyle factors and was consistent across various sensitivity analyses.”
Participants reported the average amount of time per day (minutes) they typically spend “walking slowly (such as moving around, walking at work, walking the dog, or engaging in light exercise)” and “walking fast (such as climbing stairs, brisk walking, or exercising).” Information regarding vital status and cause of death was obtained by linking the cohort to the National Death Index.
The protective effect of fast walking extended to all causes of death but was most pronounced for cardiovascular diseases. Importantly, the benefits of fast walking were independent of overall leisure-time physical activity levels (LTPA). Even for those who are already engaged in slow walking or some LTPA, adding more fast walking further reduced mortality.
According to the study the benefits of fast walking related to cardiovascular health are:
Boosts heart efficiency: As an aerobic exercise, fast walking improves cardiac output, increases oxygen delivery, and enhances the efficiency of the heart’s pumping action, leading to better overall cardiovascular health.
Manages cardiovascular risk factors: Regular fast walking helps control body weight and composition, reducing obesity and related risks like hypertension and dyslipidemia.
Highly accessible: Fast walking is a convenient, low-impact activity suitable for individuals of all ages and fitness levels.
Source: www.sciencedaily.com
