To Your Health
June, 2019 (Vol. 13, Issue 06) |
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Walk Faster, Live Longer
By Editorial Staff
Sounds like a simple premise, although not nearly enough people seem to be believers these days. Yes, walking faster can increase your life expectancy – a great reason to step things up the next time you step out your door.
Here's the connection, based on new research: Among a large study population (nearly 500,000 participants, average age 58 years at baseline), people with a habitually fast walking pace lived longer than people with a habitually slower walking pace, pure and simple. Even more interesting, body weight or obesity status didn't play a role; walk faster, live longer. In fact, according to the study, published in
Mayo Clinic Proceedings, people who were
underweight and generally walked slow had the
lowest life expectancy.
These findings don't negate the benefits of maintaining a healthy weight, of course, but they do underscore the value of physical activity / physical fitness when it comes to longevity. And all it takes is stepping up the pace when walking? Count us in; what about you?
