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Walking 10 minutes a day will add a year on your life
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Scientists have identified the precise amount of daily walking needed to add an extra year to your life expectancy. It's well-known that regular exercise reduces the risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. The NHS recommends that all adults stay physically active every day, aiming for 150 minutes of mixed muscle-building and aerobic workouts weekly.
However, new research reveals that walking just 10 minutes a day could add up to a year to the life expectancy of those over 60. The study found that men, in particular, gain more from regular walking. A daily walk can extend women’s lives by nearly 11 months, while men might gain up to 16 months. Furthermore, increasing the duration and intensity of daily walks can yield even more significant benefits.
For instance, walking for 30 minutes a day was linked to an additional 16 months of life for women and nearly two and a half years for men. The study, which analyzed data from over 40,000 women and 30,000 men—most of whom were in their 60s—also showed that even those who were previously inactive saw considerable benefits.
Tom Yates, a physiologist at the University of Leicester who led the study, commented, "We are not exactly sure why there is a gender difference, and more research is needed in this area. What’s important about this study is that it provides a much more precise understanding of the benefits of exercise, which hasn’t been seen before."
Dr. Francesco Zaccardi, co-lead author of the study, added, "This study reinforces that habitual daily physical activity is a powerful determinant of health and longevity. Our hope is that these findings will lead to public health messaging that emphasizes the importance of even small, regular additions of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity in currently inactive adults. We recommend that public health campaigns focus on encouraging just ten minutes of brisk walking daily. A small change can indeed make a significant difference."
Walking helps drain excess fluid from the lower legs, preventing varicose veins through the calf muscles' pumping action
Currently, only 20% of people over 65 meet the NHS's target of 150 minutes of exercise per week.
Marcus Davis, an osteopath, emphasized the benefits of walking over jogging for those over 50. "Walking helps drain excess fluid from the lower legs, preventing varicose veins through the calf muscles' pumping action. The increased oxygen supply during exercise also helps eliminate waste products in the tissues. For people over 50, walking is more beneficial than jogging, which can cause problems. It’s also better for the spine, placing less stress on the discs. Our bodies were designed for constant movement, not for sitting in cars or in front of computers, which puts pressure on the spinal cord. Regular walking is excellent for the spine, as it promotes the circulation of minerals and vitamins through its pumping action."
This latest finding comes after scientists discovered that the commonly recommended goal of 10,000 steps a day may not be necessary. Researchers found that regularly walking just 4,000 steps a day can begin reducing the risk of early death. While 2,300 steps daily can benefit the heart and blood vessels, 4,000 steps can reduce the risk of early death by 15%. Every additional 1,000 steps further decreases the risk by 15% until the benefit plateaus at 20,000 steps per day.
