Walking THIS way can lower your heart attack and stroke risk by two-thirds, improve cardiovascular health

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally. In 2022, an estimated 19.8 million people died from CVDs, which is approximately 32% of all global deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

Regular physical activity can significantly reduce the risk of CVDs. Walking is one way to achieve this.

A new study has found that how you walk plays a significant role in improving your cardiovascular health. An international study led by experts at the University of Sydney and the Universidad Europea in Spain found that a single stretch of walking is more beneficial than shorter strolls. The findings are published in the Annals of International Medicine.

The way you walk matters

While walking has numerous health benefits, including improving cardiovascular health, how you do it really matters.

The new study found that walking 10-15 minutes in a single stretch is more beneficial than walking less than five minutes in one go. The researchers found that people who walk at least 10-15 minutes in a single stretch reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease by two-thirds compared to those who walk less than five minutes in one go.

This was true even when they walked the same number of steps. Longer accumulations of steps in one go have a greater health benefit than short bouts spread out across the day.

The study

To understand if how one walks has an impact on cardiovascular health, the researchers studied 33,560 adults aged 40–79 years, who walked less than 8000 steps a day and had no cardiovascular disease or cancer at baseline. They followed the participants for an average of eight years. Their walking patterns and step counts were tracked using devices. They found that people who take fewer than 8,000 steps a day but walk in one or two longer sessions of at least 10–15 minutes have a lower risk of death and heart problems (like heart attack or stroke) than those who walk in short bursts of less than five minutes.

What are the experts saying?

“For the most inactive people, switching from brief walks here and there to longer continuous walks may come with some health benefits,” co-lead author Dr Matthew Ahmadi, also a member of the Charles Perkins Center at the University of Sydney, said. “There is a perception that health professionals have recommended walking 10,000 steps a day is the goal, but this isn't necessary. Simply adding one or two longer walks per day, each lasting at least 10-15 minutes at a comfortable but steady pace, may have significant benefits – especially for people who don’t walk much.”

The findings

The study showed that people who walked continuously for 10-15 minutes per day had a 4% chance of having a cardiovascular-related event such as a heart attack or stroke. However, those who walked continuously for only 5 minutes a day had a 13% risk of CVDs. The health benefits were more pronounced in continuous bouts of walking in the least active people. For example, those who walked 5000 steps a day or fewer. Among this group, the risk of developing CVD halved from 15% for those who walked up to 5 minutes a day, to 7% for those who walked up to 15 minutes a day.

In the most sedentary group (5000 steps a day or less), the risk of death dropped from 5% for those who walked in 5-minute stretches during the day, to less than 1% for those who walked up to 15 minutes a day. “We tend to place all the emphasis on the number of steps or the total amount of walking, but neglect the crucial role of patterns, for example, ‘how’ walking is done. This study shows that even people who are very physically inactive can maximise their heart health benefit by tweaking their walking patterns to walk for longer at a time, ideally for at least 10-15 minutes, when possible,” Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, senior author and physical activity theme leader at the Charles Perkins Center, said.

Co-lead author Dr Borja del Pozo from the Universidad Europea added, “Our research shows that simple changes can make all the difference to your health. If you walk a little, set aside some time to walk more often and in longer sessions. Such small changes can have a big impact." Note: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new medication or treatment.