Walking more or faster tied to longer life in large UK study

Walking — whether by adding minutes or picking up the pace — appears to be linked with longer life, according to a new paper published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

The research analysed data from 64,743 adults in Great Britain with a mean age of 62 years. Participants wore wrist activity trackers for one week to record their daily step counts and walking intensity; researchers then followed them for about eight years and recorded 1,697 deaths, 502 of which were attributed to cardiovascular disease.

How pace and volume were measured

To estimate each person’s walking speed, the investigators calculated the average number of steps per minute across the 30 most active minutes of the day — these minutes did not have to be consecutive. Daily step totals were divided into four bands: <5,000, 5,000–7,500, 7,500–10,000 and >10,000 steps per day.

The study’s design allowed researchers to compare the relative benefits of walking longer (more steps) versus walking faster (higher step rate) within a large, older sample. The authors conclude that both increasing daily steps and raising walking tempo are associated with lower mortality risks over the follow-up period.

Because the data come from objectively measured activity over a week and long-term follow-up, the findings add to evidence that simple changes in everyday walking — longer duration or a quicker pace — can produce meaningful benefits for longevity.

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