Walk this path – it will be very good for you

Walking is sometimes equated with simplicity itself. If your task is a “walk in the park,” you may only need a few steps to get things moving.

But experts say that by putting one foot in front of the other, you can be on your way to significantly improved health, even without doing a lot of heavy lifting or jumping through hoops. He says it can be done.

“People underestimate how important walking is,” says Dr. Tiwarolwa Ajibewa, assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

Dr. Kelly Petty Gabriel, associate dean for research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, says walking can help manage your weight and reduce your risk of conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. For people with heart disease, “it can be very helpful in managing symptoms and improving quality of life.”

So whether you're a pedometer expert or a certified couch potato ready to make a change, here's what you need to know.

It's a great first step

If you are doing any kind of walking, you are moving. This is obvious and important. That's because sedentary behavior – sitting and lying down – is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and premature death. Even a little bit of light exercise can reduce your risk.

“The main thing we're trying to tell people is to sit less and move more,” says exercise scientist Ajibewa.

In addition to being less sedentary, brisk walking counts toward the minimum 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity recommended by the U.S. government. federal guidelinesGabriel noted that “substantial evidence” supports the idea that such exercise can improve physical and mental health.

It doesn't have to be 10,000 steps.

While this is a nice round number, the idea that people need to accept 10,000 steps a day According to Gabriel, this comes from the marketing strategies of Japanese companies in the 1960s. Recent research has shown that the optimal number of steps varies depending on factors such as age and goals.

Mr. Gabriel pointed out the following analysis. lancet public health In 2022, we examined data from 15 studies. The researchers found that taking more steps per day was associated with a lower risk of death, but the effect peaked at around 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day for people over 60. However, in younger adults, the effect did not even out until about 8,000 steps to 10,000 steps.

In 2022, JAMA Neurology They reported that the optimal number of steps associated with reduced risk of dementia is approximately 9,800 steps per day. But that risk still decreased for people who walked about 3,800 steps a day.

The study, published in March, British Journal of Sports Medicine suggested that taking more than 2,200 steps per day was associated with a lower risk of death and cardiovascular disease, with the lowest risk of death occurring between 9,000 and 10,500 steps per day.

Feeling the need for speed?

Like step count, the importance of pace depends on what kind of health you're looking at, Gabriel says.

“Depending on your results, you may need to do it at a moderate or higher pace,” she says. For example, some studies have shown that walking faster reduces the risk of diabetes, and others have shown that regular physical activity is necessary to improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels. is shown.

But when it comes to other things, like weight management, Gabriel says it's less about speed and more about overall energy expenditure.

And every movement is important.

“Walking looks different for everyone,” Gabriel says, and no matter how you move, everyone can benefit from movement. Even people who have limited mobility due to wheelchairs or other devices can improve their health through physical activity.

“What's really important is to walk in any way you can,” she said.

go where you want to go

Gabriel said it doesn't matter where you walk, whether you're walking down the street or on a treadmill. The important thing is to find what works for you.

So if your kids want to walk around the track while they go to soccer practice, that's fine, but if it's raining or there are safety issues, you can't go to the mall or the gym. If you want to walk there, she said. Good luck to all your neighbors.

It's a matter of urban design

Just because walking is a basic form of exercise doesn't mean everyone approaches it in the same way.

Mr Ajibewa said several city characteristics were conducive to this. When people have “blue space” (access to beaches, lakes, and rivers), they are more likely to be active and have better mental health. The same applies to “green spaces” such as parks and forests. Studies have shown that people who live in areas with more greenery are more likely to walk than those who live in areas with less greenery. People who live in walkable neighborhoods tend to be more physically active and have a healthier weight.

But “not everyone has the same opportunities to go for walks or be active in their neighborhood,” he says. People who live in walkable cities like New York City walk more often than people who live in car-based cities like Houston.

At the neighborhood level, issues such as safety, street lighting, and sidewalk conditions are important.a 2015 Surgeon General’s Report Regarding the importance of walkable communities, in 2012 more than 3 in 10 people over the age of 16 reported that there were no sidewalks on any streets in their neighborhood.

Historical and systemic inequalities play a role. From supporting safe routes for children to walk to school to ensuring that parks have equipment and programs that support healthy activity, these all demonstrate that walking is a policy issue. That's what Ajibewa said.

how to start

You can start a walking habit by doing something as simple as getting up from the couch during a commercial. “Starting little by little is probably the best way to go,” Ajibewa says. “Keep doing it. It gets easier over time.”

Gabriel said when starting a new habit, it's important to think about how to make it part of your daily routine. “Get out your calendar or look at your phone's calendar and start blanking out the day and time you want to make this change.”

You need comfortable shoes, whether you're walking down a sunny street or inside an air-conditioned shopping mall, “because eventually you'll get warmer and want to take off those clothes.” She recommended dressing in layers. . ”

Don't forget your safety gear when walking at night. “Wear brightly colored clothing and bring a flashlight,” she said. “You have to make sure people can see you.”

next step

Once you've been doing it for a while, don't be afraid to change your route or pace, Gabriel said. “If you startle it a little bit, your body will progress further,” she said. Find a hill or try alternating between slow and brisk walks.

Enjoy benefits

Gabriel knows first-hand the mental and physical benefits of walking. A cyclist, she recently had to put her bike aside after surgery. “The only thing I could do to stay active was walk,” she said. “Even though I couldn’t walk fast or far, it helped me keep a physically active mindset.”

Her 80-year-old father is one such example. “He has been tracking his steps since 2016 and has walked over 14,000 miles.” She said she watched him struggle when health reasons prevented him from taking daily walks. I did. And she knows his health got a boost when he was able to make 10,000 steps a day his goal again.

“He's very proud,” Gabriel said. “He basically tells me his steps and how he walked across America five times.”

Of course, you don't have to go that far on your first day. It can start with baby steps.

“As humans, it is natural for us to move,” says Ajibewa. So move as much as possible. “It all comes back to sitting less and moving more.”