WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Taking one long walk each day may be better for your heart than taking several short walks, especially if you don't exercise much, according to a new study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
During the study, the researchers studied more than 33,000 adults in the UK who typically walked fewer than 8,000 steps a day. They grouped participants based on the average length of their walks- less than 5 minutes, 5-10 minutes, 10-15 minutes, or 15 minutes or more. Over the next eight years, the researchers from the University of Sydney and Universidad Europea in Spain tracked their health.
They found that people who walked for longer stretches at a time had a lower risk of developing heart problems or dying early compared to those who took shorter, more frequent walks. This benefit was clear even for those who were the least active.
'We tend to place all the emphasis on the number of steps or the total amount of walking but neglect the crucial role of patterns, for example 'how' walking is done,' co-lead researcher Prof Emmanuel Stamatakis said.
'This study shows that even people who are very physically inactive can maximise their heart health benefit by tweaking their walking patterns to walk for longer at a time, ideally for at least 10-15 minutes, when possible.'
The study further suggests that how you walk matters, not just how much you walk. Taking longer, continuous walks may help your heart more than spreading your steps throughout the day.
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