Research suggests you walk faster, not further for better health

For many years, we have been under the impression that we need to take a minimum of 10 000 steps in order to improve our health. New research suggests that the number of steps may not be as important as the speed of the walk.

According to a new study, pumping up your walk with higher speed levels will help you fight illnesses such as heart disease and cancer.

Could walking faster not further be the key to better health?

All along we thought that walking at least 10 000 steps a day was the key to perfect health and helping our hearts stay in good shape.

According to a study published 6 September in JAMA Neurology, as little as 3600 steps are actually beneficial – so long as you are picking up the pace.

Researchers from the University of Sydney looked at data from 78,430 UK adults aged between 40 to 70.

In their research, they were comparing step counts, average speed, and health outcomes over about seven years of follow-up.

They found that for every 2,000 steps participants took per day, on average, their risk of early death was 8-11 percent lower, up to 10,000 steps a day, reports Business Insider.

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Tons of benefits!

The research also suggests that walking just 3800 steps has benefits, especially for brain health, and helped reduce the risk of dementia.

The walking intensity made all of the difference according to the study that found faster walks helped prevent illnesses such as heart disease and cancer.

“The take-home message here is that for protective health benefits, people could not only ideally aim for 10,000 steps a day but also aim to walk faster,” Dr Matthew Ahmadi, co-lead author of the study and research fellow at the University of Sydney, said in a press release.