Many people set daily step goals, often aiming for 10,000 steps. Yet, this number is not based on science but on a Japanese pedometer advertisement from the 1960s.
Despite this, experts agree that walking supports better health.
Researchers from the University of Sydney and Universidad Europea in Spain wanted to know whether the pattern of walking matters as much as the total number.
Their study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, followed over 33,000 adults in the United Kingdom for eight years.
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The participants were between 40 and 79 years old and typically took fewer than 8,000 steps per day.
Those who walked for at least 15 minutes at a time had a much lower risk of developing heart problems than those who took shorter, scattered walks.
Why longer walks make a difference
The study found that even people who were least active benefited from longer walking sessions.
For those taking fewer than 5,000 steps a day, a single extended walk significantly lowered the risk of heart disease.
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The reason for this is not entirely clear. Longer periods of continuous movement may strengthen the heart more effectively than short bursts of activity.
The researchers accounted for other factors like smoking, obesity, and cholesterol levels, suggesting the effect was truly linked to walking habits.
According to Emmanuel Stamatakis, co-lead author of the study, people often focus only on the total number of steps or the total distance.
He explains that it's important to look at the walking patterns. Even those who move very little could improve their heart health by walking continuously for 10 to 15 minutes each day.
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Small changes with big impact
For most people, the idea of exercising daily can seem demanding.
Yet, the researchers believe that small, consistent adjustments, like taking one longer walk instead of several short ones, can make a real difference.
Whether during a lunch break or after dinner, setting aside a short window of time for uninterrupted walking might be one of the simplest ways to protect your heart.
This article is based on information from Tagesanzeiger.ch.
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