The technological revolution is charged with irony. It accelerates progress but slows us down with the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggesting that, as of 2022, one in eight people in the world were living with obesity; that’s more than doubled since 1990.
On the positive, in 2022 folk in England were walking more often and further than in 2021 with the average person walking 221 miles that year. It’s the same story in Scotland.
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A team at the University of Edinburgh assessed the walking habits of more than 40,000 people aged
16 and above, using data from a Scottish Health Survey questionnaire taken between 2012 and 2021.
They showed that, on average, those ‘walking at least once a month at a brisk or fast pace has increased by around 7% to 47%’.
That raises a couple questions: is there empirical evidence that walking benefits health? And, if so, do you have to walk along at a specific pace?
The first research into the physical benefits of walking took place in the 1950s, when Scottish epidemiologist Jeremy Morris noted the association between workplace walking and the incidence of coronary heart disease, first among bus conductors (compared to bus drivers) and then among postmen (compared to sedentary telephonists).
Over the next 40 years, many studies investigated the association between walking and “disease endpoints” with several concluding ithelped to lower blood pressure, fat and bad cholesterol levels, while
improving body composition.
But the real walking gamechanger came in 1997 with the publication of areview paper, ‘Walking to Health’, once again led by Morris. In it, the researchers they assessed years’ worth of evidence to conclude that regular walking reduces the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, type-2 diabetes, some cancers, plus it helps to counter depression and mental wellbeing.
How far and fast should you walk?
In short, as Hippocrates uttered, “Walking is man’s best medicine.” And it’s free. But are all walks equal? Well, no. A gentle sojourn at the seaside is clearly less demanding than a stiff ascent on the moors.
Key, according to the NHS, is that those aged over 19 should do at least 150 minutes of ‘moderate intensity activity’ a week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise.
Brisk walking falls into the former category; clambering up a hill relates to the latter. One way to tell if you’re working at a moderate intensity is that you can still talk but not sing (which could obviously be a blessing if you’re walking with friends).
One way of speeding up is to try Nordic walking
What are the physical benefits of walking?
To dig down into the numbers, a 2011 study used data from a national physical activity survey that measured heart-rate response to submaximal walking speed and estimated that 20.1% of the English
population – one in four women and one in 10 men – could improve their aerobic fitness by walking at just 3mph.
Do this over four to five days or even every day and there’s research to show that you’ll enjoy a 10%
increase in fitness. Further research suggests this translates into a 15% reduction in mortality risk.
“That’s all very well,” you might ponder, “but I’m just naturally larger than most people. It’s in my DNA. Walking just won’t work for me.”
Fear not, as researchers from Harvard University looked at 32 obesity-promoting genes in over 12,000 people to determine how these genes contribute to body weight. They concluded that, among the study
subjects who walked briskly for an hour a day, the effect of those genes was cut in half. Walking for just 15 minutes has also been shown to reduce cravings, so reach for your shoes rather than sugar the next timey ou feel that pang.
The physical benefits of walking are irrefutable – you will lead a healthier and happier life – but we know forging habits is hard. So, think of ways toinclude walking into your daily routine. These can range from walking to the shops instead of driving to using the stairs instead of the lift, plus pencilling in rural walks with a friend once a month. And you’ll help the environment, too. Happy brisk walking...
Need new walking boots? Check out our choice of the best walking boots tested and reviewed or do you prefer walking shoes?
If you do have any medical issues, concerns or worries always seek medical advice from a doctor before starting a new activity or fitness regime.
Need some route ideas? Check out our walks section which gives details to stunning walks all across the UK
But in the meantime here are some ideas;