2024-01-01 05:18:54
It is no longer in doubt that walking is beneficial for the body and health. According to the prestigious Harvard University, it is also one of the preferred activities to stay in good health. The institution goes so far as to describe it as a “powerful” discipline. Walking has several significant advantages: it can be done anytime and anywhere. And what’s more, it’s completely free.
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Walking also helps you stay in shape. It strengthens bones and limits the rise in cholesterol levels. It puts us in a good mood and improves the quality of our sleep and our memory. It is advisable to start with small distances and then increase them little by little. But a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine highlights a new element concerning the practice of walking. To make the most of its benefits, we should accelerate our pace.
More active walking
The research found the following results: walking at an “average” or “normal” speed of three to five kilometers per hour was associated with a 15% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to “easy” walking. and more “relaxed”. This figure rises to more than 30% for even “faster” walking accompanied by “big steps”. For example, walking around 6.5 km/h reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by 39%. As you will have understood, it is important to favor a sustained pace while you walk, whether for five or fifteen or thirty minutes. It’s not necessarily the number of steps that counts, but the cadence.
Besides, how many steps is it recommended to take each day? We often hear regarding the famous 10,000 steps. A figure also taken up by the World Health Organization (WHO). A study conducted by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Medical University of Lodz in Poland reveals a completely different figure. According to the results obtained, 4,000 steps per day might be enough to reduce the risk of premature death from all causes.
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How to increase your daily walking activity?
Increasing your daily walking activity requires small, simple actions that are accessible to everyone. If you take public transportation, get off one stop earlier. Choose to walk to work, meet friends or do your shopping when possible. We can’t say it enough but prefer the stairs to the elevator. Going up and down the stairs would be one of the keys to increasing life expectancy and even becoming a centenarian, according to research by Gianni Pes, researcher at the Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine at the University of Sassari in Italy. Finally, don’t hesitate to take a Sunday stroll alone or surrounded by your loved ones. There is no shortage of parks and gardens in Belgium.
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