Let’s face it, throughout history, we’ve seen loads of health fads promising to keep us young, energized, or just plain alive longer. Yet, amidst all the noise, some gems of wisdom shine through. Hippocrates, who’s basically the OG of medicine, said way back in 400 BC that “Walking is man’s best medicine.” Fast forward a couple of thousand years, and science has finally started to catch on.
Research shows that people racking up more than 8,000 steps daily can cut their risk of dying prematurely by 50% compared to those who barely hit 5,000 steps—yep, that’s the mark of a couch potato. But here’s the kicker: after you hit those 8,000 steps, the health perks kind of level off. This raises a big question about the entire 10,000 steps craze we’ve been fed.
Surprise, surprise: the famous 10,000-step goal didn’t sprout from some high-tech lab, but was actually born from a Japanese marketing campaign back in the 1960s for a pedometer named the manpo-kei, which tells you to aim for a “10,000 steps meter.” Who knew?
Lately, researchers have been busy examining whether every step is really created equal, or if speed matters. If you can power-walk at over 100 steps a minute, covering about three to four miles per hour, you could be doing your health a favor.
When it comes to heart health and aging, evidence suggests pace impacts results big time. Swapping a leisurely 14-minute stroll for a brisk seven-minute walk can lower your heart disease risk by 14%—not too shabby!
A study tracking over 450,000 folks in the UK used genetics to measure biological age. Results showed that those who consistently maintained a brisk pace could actually take off up to 16 years from their biological age compared to those who walked slow.
In another interesting twist, research suggests it’s never too late to get moving. A model of a 60-year-old inactive individual showed that just adding ten minutes of brisk walking daily could potentially extend their life expectancy by about a year.
Plus, brisk walking does more than just bump up your life years; it’s a strong indicator for predicting future health outcomes. In fact, it’s a better predictor for heart disease risk than traditional metrics like blood pressure or cholesterol, outperforming many aspects of lifestyle—inclusive of diet and obesity.
The next time you chat with your doc, it might be really telling if the first question they ask is, “How fast do you usually walk compared to your friends?”
Extra Boosts from Walking
But it’s important to noted that brisk walking isn’t a miracle cure-all. While it offers some benefits, it doesn’t necessarily lower cancer risks significantly more than a leisurely walk, based on recent studies. Regular movement—even light walking—has profound metabolic impacts, especially after long periods of sitting.
On top of physical health, walking shines in its ability to boost brain power, already helping with creativity and problem-solving. In fact, the brain areas linked to memory and creativity get activated as you move your body.
This is something a lot of us probably do subconsciously—walking to hash out problems or spark new ideas. Context matters too; enjoying a stroll through nature seems to amplify the mental health benefits of walking.
This idea of “nature prescriptions” is gaining popularity, helping folks both mentally and physically by increasing their walking habits.
With a serious rise in chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease due to inactivity, the call to action is louder than ever. It’s thought that targeting physical inactivity could prevent around 3.9 million premature deaths each year.
However, current healthcare systems lean more toward managing conditions after they arise rather than preventing them. The staggering cost to bring a new drug to market forces many to remain focused on immediate fixes that yield profits. Imagine if even a slice of that cash went toward boosting public health programs to promote walking and activity—we might see a significant shift.
So when you’re in search of that elusive path to lasting health, take a glance at your feet; they hold some answers.
Thomas E. Yates is a Professor of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Health at the Diabetes Research Centre, University of Leicester.
This article is shared from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Check out the original piece for more insights.
