Walking continuously for 15 minutes daily may lower cardiovascular risk more than focusing on step counts, new research suggests.
Study highlights walking style over step count
A study involving 33,560 adults aged 40 to 79 years found that the way people walk may be more important than the number of steps taken for reducing cardiovascular risk. The research, which followed participants for a week using connected bracelets and observed their health status for nearly ten years, highlighted the importance of continuous walking over long periods.Continuous walking linked to lower risk
According to the findings, individuals who walked continuously for longer durations had lower cardiovascular risk compared to those who walked in shorter intervals, even when both groups had the same number of steps. The study suggests that if walking is the only form of exercise, walking at least 15 minutes continuously each day at a steady pace is more beneficial than focusing on a specific step count.Walking habits often overlooked
Emmanuel Stamatakis from the University of Sydney, cited by the American magazine Men's Health, noted that attention is often focused on the number of steps or total walking amount, but the role of walking habits, such as how walking is performed, is often neglected. His comments emphasize the need to reconsider how walking is approached for better health outcomes.
