The health and longevity benefits of walking explored by the authors of “Walk”
Dr. Courtney Conley and Dr. Milica McDowell, authors of “Walk,” explain the many benefits of walking for physical and mental health. They join Steve Doocy to highlight “vitamin W” as an accessible activity, discussing how increasing daily steps from the current average of 5,000 to a brisk 130 steps per minute can increase longevity. They also promote “movement snacks” for overall well-being.
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The speed at which a person normally walks could offer a simple clue to their overall health and longevity, new research suggests.
A study published in JAMA Network Open followed 4,067 adults in the United Kingdom, with an average age of around 69, to see if their usual walking pace was linked to their risk of death over time.
Participants completed a short walking test at their normal pace and also wore a wrist activity tracker for nine days to measure their daily walking speed.
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Over nearly 12 years of follow-up, faster walking in both settings was associated with a lower risk of death, even after researchers took into account other health and lifestyle factors. A total of 739 participants died during this period.
Beth Templin, a certified geriatric clinical specialist and CEO of HouseFit Physical Therapy & Fitness in St. Louis, said walking speed can offer a broader insight into how the body functions.
A new study suggests that the speed at which a person normally walks could provide important clues about their overall health and longevity. (iStock)
“In physical therapy, we call walking speed the ‘sixth vital sign’ because it’s a snapshot of how many body systems work together,” Templin, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
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Changes in walking speed can therefore offer clues about a person’s health status, according to the doctor.
“Walking briskly requires strong legs, a healthy heart and lungs, good balance, and a brain and nervous system that can coordinate it all,” she said.
Researchers found that faster walking speed was associated with a lower risk of death in more than 4,000 older people in the UK. (iStock)
“When walking speed begins to decrease, it is often a warning sign of a decline in one of these systems, sometimes before anything shows up in a laboratory test,” Templin added.
For older adults who want to improve their walking speed and overall fitness, taking more steps may not be enough.
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“Build the engine, not just the habit,” Templin advised. “Most people try to walk more, but speed comes from strength and balance.”
The doctor suggested strengthening the legs with simple exercises, such as getting up from a chair without using your hands and raising your heels while holding on to a counter.
According to experts, walking speed can reflect how the heart, lungs, muscles and nervous system work together. (iStock)
She also recommended adding short bursts of faster walking. After warming up, a person could walk briskly for one minute, slow down for two minutes, and then repeat, gradually increasing the fastest periods.
The results don’t mean that simply walking faster will make you live longer, the experts noted.
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“This study shows an association, not proof, that walking faster adds years,” Templin reiterated.
Participants included in the study were generally healthier than the larger group, the researchers noted. There is also no single standard method for measuring daily walking pace with wrist activity trackers.
Further research is needed to determine whether the findings apply to other groups.
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Fox News Digital has contacted the researchers for comment.
Gn Health
