Health News for Seniors - To live longer, walk faster

Health News for Seniors

Do you want to live longer? Walk faster says new research

By Tucker Sutherland, editor

June 1, 2018 - We have been publishing SeniorJournal.com since 1999 and have seen many studies indicating that those who walk the fastest live the longer. Too many may have assumed that walking slow and a shorter life is just something they have to bear. A new study suggests a more actionable view of this phenomenon. Just walk faster and you may live longer!

Speeding up your walking pace could extend your life, according to the research led by the University of Sydney. And, the longer longevity  effects of walking pace were also found to be more pronounced in older age groups.

The researchers found that walking at an average pace was associated with a 20 percent risk reduction for all-cause mortality compared with walking at a slow pace. But they also found  thatwalking at a brisk or fast pace was associated with a risk reduction of 24 percent.

A similar result was found for risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, with a reduction of 24 percent walking at an average pace and 21 percent walking at a brisk or fast pace, compared to walking at a slow pace.

The protective effects of walking pace were also found to be more pronounced in older age groups.

The findings published today appear in a special issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine (from the BMJ Journals group) dedicated to Walking and Health, edited by lead author Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis from the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre and School of Public Health.Average pace walkers aged 60 years or over experienced a 46 percent reduction in risk of death from cardiovascular causes, and fast pace walkers a 53 percent reduction.

"A fast pace is generally five to seven kilometres per hour, but it really depends on a walker's fitness levels; an alternative indicator is to walk at a pace that makes you slightly out of breath or sweaty when sustained," Professor Stamatakis explained.

A collaboration between the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, the University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, University of Limerick and University of Ulster, the researchers sought to determine the associations between walking pace with all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality.

Linking mortality records with the results of 11 population-based surveys in England and Scotland between 1994 and 2008 - in which participants self-reported their walking pace - the research team then adjusted for factors such as total amount and intensity of all physical activity taken, age, sex and body mass index.

"Walking pace is associated with all-cause mortality risk, but its specific role - independent from the total physical activity a person undertakes - has received little attention until now," Professor Stamatakis said.

"While sex and body mass index did not appear to influence outcomes, walking at an average or fast pace was associated with a significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease. There was no evidence to suggest pace had a significant influence on cancer mortality however."

In light of the findings, the research team is calling for walking pace to be emphasised in public health messages.

"Assuming our results reflect cause and effect, these analyses suggest that increasing walking pace may be a straightforward way for people to improve heart health and risk for premature mortality - providing a simple message for public health campaigns to promote."Separating the effect of one specific aspect of physical activity and understanding its potentially causal association with risk of premature death is complex," Professor Stamatakis said.

"Especially in situations when walking more isn't possible due to time pressures or a less walking-friendly environment, walking faster may be a good option to get the heart rate up - one that most people can easily incorporate into their lives."