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Brisk Walking Adds Up to 16 Years to Your Lifespan
15 Aug
Summary
- Walking 8,000+ steps/day cuts premature death risk by half
- Brisk walking (100+ steps/min) reduces biological age by 16 years
- Brisk walking is a stronger predictor of heart disease risk than blood pressure or cholesterol
According to a recent analysis, walking more than 8,000 steps per day can significantly reduce the risk of premature death. However, the real health benefits come from walking at a brisk pace of over 100 steps per minute, or around 3-4 miles per hour.
A study of over 450,000 adults in the UK found that by middle age, a lifetime of brisk walking can reduce a person's biological age by up to 16 years compared to a lifetime of slow walking. The research also suggests it's never too late to start - an inactive 60-year-old can gain around an extra year of life expectancy just by adding a 10-minute brisk walk to their daily routine.
Brisk walking has been shown to be a stronger predictor of heart disease risk than traditional measures like blood pressure and cholesterol. In fact, a doctor's simple question about a patient's walking pace may be one of the most informative health indicators. While the benefits of brisk walking for reducing cancer risk are less certain, it still provides a wide range of physical and mental health advantages over a more sedentary lifestyle.
