A new study has pinpointed exactly how many minutes of walking you should aim for each day to help prevent an early death.
While it’s common knowledge that regular exercise is key to a long and healthy life, this research breaks it down into more specific, manageable goals.
According to U.S. health guidelines, adults are encouraged to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week.
While that advice remains important, a new study suggests that something as simple as a daily walk can significantly lower your risk of early death.
Long walks through the countryside can be both enjoyable and beneficial for your health, but there’s no denying they can eat up a lot of time. After a busy day at work, most people simply don’t have the hours to spare for that kind of outing.
The study looked into physical exercise (Getty Stock Photo)
Dr. Soren Brage from the MRC Epidemiology Unit, who collaborated on the study with researchers from Cambridge University, explained: “If the idea of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week feels overwhelming, our findings should come as good news.
“Any physical activity is better than none. This can serve as a great starting point — if you find 75 minutes per week manageable, you can gradually increase it until you reach the full recommended amount.”
The study showed that just 75 minutes of moderate activity per week can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 17% and cancer by 7%.
Professor James Woodcock, also from the MRC Epidemiology Unit, added: “We know that activities like walking or cycling are good for you, particularly if they get your heart rate up. What we’ve discovered is that even just ten minutes of daily activity offers significant benefits for heart health and lowering cancer risk.”
A study has revealed how long you should be walking for every day (Getty Stock Photo)
Researchers also discovered that one in six early deaths could be prevented for those who engage in more than 150 minutes of exercise each week.
Additionally, one in nine cases of cardiovascular disease and one in twenty cases of cancer could be avoided with the same level of physical activity.
“Moderate activity doesn’t necessarily mean traditional exercise like sports or running,” explained Dr. Leandro Garcia from Queen’s University Belfast.
“Sometimes, small changes in habits are all it takes. For instance, consider walking or cycling to work or school instead of driving, or get active by playing with your kids or grandkids.
“Engaging in activities you enjoy and that fit easily into your weekly routine is a great way to increase your physical activity.”
