Those who discount walking as a form of exercise do so at their peril. Regular ramblers know how strenuous a bracing walk can be, and studies show that brisk daily walks are life-extending. The operative word, though, is “brisk”. New research on 25,000 postmenopausal women in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has found that when it comes to heart health, walking pace is key.
Fast-walking women, who exceed 3mph (4.8kph), had a 34% lower risk of heart failure than women who potter along under 2mph. Moreover, walking less than one hour weekly at a rapid gait was equivalent to more than two hours of leisurely ambling. So gradually upping one’s walking pace may be more advisable than “getting the steps in” (although the frailest folk should not overdo it). Mass uptake could take long strides towards combatting cardiovascular disease, the biggest killer in the world.
