Fast or far: Speed wins over distance
A major study tracking nearly 80,000 people for 17 years suggests that how fast you walk matters more than how much time you spend walking. Just 15 minutes of fast walking every day reduced mortality risk by almost 20%, while hours of slow walking showed much smaller benefits.
While participants who walked slowly for over an hour daily saw a statistically insignificant 4% decrease in mortality risk, those who completed 15 minutes of brisk walking daily experienced far greater benefits, including the strongest protection against cardiovascular disease deaths, particularly from heart disease.
Dr. David Cutler, family medicine physician at Providence Saint John's Health Centre, says about the study. “Traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as controlling blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, managing diabetes, and stopping smoking need to be supplemented with the evidence-based science that strenuous exercise like 15 minutes of fast walking daily can reduce your chance of dying prematurely,” he explained.
The research defined fast walking as brisk walking or activities like climbing stairs, while slow walking included workplace walking and light exercise. Even participants who did slow walking benefited from adding fast walking to their routine.
The takeaway from this study is clear: If you’re already a regular walker, albeit at a leisurely pace, picking up your speed for just 15 minutes could deliver significant benefits for your cardiovascular health.