Because it’s a full-body movement, brisk walking works a great deal of muscles at the same time and challenges your cardiovascular system. This is an easy exercise to fit into your schedule simply because, most of the time, all it requires is some walking shoes and pavement. Here Arti Patel, GlobalNews.ca, reflects on the increasing life expectancy by walking at a fast pace:

  “If you’re a fast walker, you could be adding years to your life, a new study suggests.

According to a study published last month in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, people who walk fast can add, on average, up to 15 to 20 years to their lives.

Image courtesy of: Gerard Avila

The large U.K.-based study collected data from almost 475,000 people with an average age of 52.

“Studies published so far have mainly shown the impact of body weight and physical fitness on mortality in terms of relative risk,” co-author Francesco Zaccardi, a clinical epidemiologist at the Leicester Diabetes Center, said in a statement.

“However, it is not always easy to interpret a ‘relative risk.’ Reporting in terms of life expectancy, conversely, is easier to interpret and gives a better idea of the separate and joint importance of body mass index and physical fitness.”

Image courtesy of: mikecogh

 

Lead author and professor Tom Yates with the University of Leicester added that the research indicated measuring exercise may be more beneficial to the body than body mass index (BMI) alone.

“In other words, the findings suggest that perhaps physical fitness is a better indicator of life expectancy than BMI and that encouraging the population to engage in brisk walking may add years to their lives,” Yates said.

Image courtesy of: Peter Mooney

The study found participants who reported taking brisk walks had a long life expectancy regardless of BMI. For women, this was a life expectancy of 86.7 to 87.8 years and for men, 85.2 to 86.8 years.

“Conversely, subjects reporting slow walking pace had shorter life expectancies,” the authors added, noting the life expectancy was 72.4 years for women and 64.8 years for men. This meant, on average, women who took brisk walks could live up to 15 years longer while men could live an additional 20 years.

Taking brisk walks

Image courtesy of: Peter Mooney

“Fast walking would be relative to the individual’s fitness level,” said Alistair Hopper, personal trainer at Flex Fitness, which is based in Winnipeg.

“You can keep track of your heart rate to know if you are walking fast for your fitness level,” he continued. “By keeping your heart rate between 60 [and] 90 per cent of your max heart rate then you are walking brisk enough to get improved health benefits.”

Image courtesy of: Peter Mooney

Hopper recommended starting with a 10-minute brisk walk and adding five minutes more each week.

“As long as you have been consistent and you don’t have any nagging injuries,” he added.

 

Gareth Nock, national team training coach with GoodLife Fitness, told Global News that walking, in general, is a great exercise to add to your regular routine.”

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Read More … Article Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/5459579/walking-fast-live-longer/

 

Photo By Ed Yourdon