Longer, Continuous Walks Linked to Reduced Heart Disease Risk
People who accumulate most of their daily steps in uninterrupted bouts of 15 minutes or longer experience significantly lower risks of heart disease and death compared to those who take frequent, shorter walks, according to research published today.
The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, analyzed the daily movements of 33,560 adults with an average age of 62 in the U.K. Participants wore accelerometers on their wrists from 2013 through 2015 to track physical activity. Researchers categorized individuals based on step accumulation patterns: bouts shorter than five minutes, five to under ten minutes, ten to under fifteen minutes, and 15 minutes or longer. After approximately 9½ years of follow-up, those walking in 15-minute or longer stretches demonstrated the lowest likelihood of death and reduced risk of heart disease.
Researchers found a “clear dose response,” with longer walking durations correlating to better health outcomes. “The longer the bout, the better it is for the different health outcomes that we analyzed,” explained Borja del Pozo Cruz, a professor and researcher at Universidad Europea de Madrid. The findings challenge the popularity of “exercise snacks” – very short bursts of activity – and suggest that sustained movement is more beneficial. This research adds to the growing body of evidence highlighting the importance of lifestyle interventions for preventative healthcare, particularly as rates of cardiovascular disease continue to rise globally. For those who were previously less active, the benefits of longer walks were even more pronounced, with a significant reduction in both mortality and heart disease risk. You can learn more about recommended physical activity levels from the American Heart Association.
Study authors noted limitations, including a participant base that was 97% white, and acknowledged that exercise habits can change over time. However, they emphasized that the benefits of walking are accessible to people of all ages, and it’s “never too late” to start. Experts suggest that while any movement is beneficial, optimizing health requires prioritizing longer, continuous periods of activity. Further research is planned to investigate the optimal duration and intensity of walking for various populations.
