Fast walking could add years to your life, new research shows – and you only need 15 minutes a day
Smiling senior Spanish couple jogging in the park in Madrid, Spain.
Credit: Lordn, Shutterstock
Forget the gym – new research shows you can cut your risk of an early death simply by fast walking for at least 15 minutes a day.
A Vanderbilt University study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, tracked nearly 85,000 people over 16 years. Those who walked briskly for 15 minutes daily were 20% less likely to die prematurely than slow walkers, who saw just a 4% drop even if they clocked more than three hours a day.
Dr Wei Zheng, who led the study, says while 150 minutes of moderate activity a week is ideal, “fast walking as little as 15 minutes a day confirms substantiated benefits.”
The perks go far beyond heart health: brisk walking helps lower blood pressure, improves cholesterol, reduces cancer risk, prevents type 2 diabetes, boosts immunity, and can protect against dementia.
The UK’s NHS says you’re walking briskly if you can talk but can’t sing. Good form matters – stand tall, shoulders back, swing your arms in time with your steps, and practise nasal breathing to regulate blood pressure.
So come on, lace up, pick up the pace, and strut your stuff like it’s 1964 – because those extra minutes might just buy you extra years.
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