The number of steps people take each day is important for health, but new research suggests that walking pace may also play a significant role in reducing the risk of premature death.
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that both daily step counts and walking intensity were linked to lower risks of death from any cause and cardiovascular disease. The findings suggest that people may benefit from different combinations of walking more often and maintaining a faster pace.
Researchers analysed activity tracker data from 64,743 participants aged between 40 and 69 who were part of the UK Biobank. The participants wore wearable activity monitors for seven days between 2013 and 2015, allowing researchers to examine their daily step counts and walking cadence.
Participants recorded daily totals ranging from fewer than 5,000 steps to more than 10,000, while their walking pace varied. The analysis found that taking between 7,500 and 10,000 steps a day was associated with the greatest reduction in the risk of premature death, regardless of walking pace.
The research also pointed to the importance of walking intensity. Maintaining a brisk walking pace for at least 30 minutes a day, at around 90 steps per minute, was associated with a lower risk of death from all causes, regardless of the total number of steps taken.
Researchers said the results could provide people with greater flexibility when setting physical activity goals. Those who find it difficult to significantly increase their daily step count may still gain benefits by increasing the pace at which they walk.
“Regardless of total daily step counts, maintaining higher walking cadence may be a promising target for preventing premature mortality,” the researchers said.
The findings were particularly relevant for people with sedentary lifestyles who take fewer than 5,000 steps each day. Researchers said increasing walking pace among this group could substantially reduce the risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular disease.
At the same time, people who prefer a slower walking pace may still improve their health prospects by increasing the number of steps they take each day.
The researchers said their findings support flexible approaches to physical activity, particularly for middle-aged and older adults who may face barriers to increasing either their daily movement or walking intensity.
The study adds to growing evidence that regular movement can play an important role in long-term health, while suggesting that both how much people walk and how quickly they walk can matter.
