Researchers from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and Technology in Trondheim have discovered that people who walk at a faster pace are less likely to die from any cause.
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According to the journal JAMA Network Open, researchers indicate that step speed and frequency are closely linked to death from any cause, even after adjusting for the number of daily steps.
For the study, researchers analyzed data from over 4,000 British civil servants who participated in a health survey launched in the late 1980s. Their average age at the time was around 69. Participants underwent clinical examinations every 4-5 years. In 2012 and 2013, their walking speed was also measured using a device that tracked the number of steps per minute while walking.
The study showed that increased walking speed was associated with a 23 percent lower risk of death during the study period, while increased step frequency was associated with a 17 percent lower risk of death.
According to Dr. Theodore Strange, chief of medicine at North Staten Island University Hospital in New York City, there could be many reasons.
He tells Medical Xpress: “Walking faster suggests that a person has fewer chronic illnesses. Because when health deteriorates, walking speed may be one of the first functional indicators to decline. That is, medically speaking, a higher walking speed is more likely to be associated with better health. And when a person loses it, the risk of falls, frailty, cognitive decline, and ultimately, an increased rate of illness and death, increases.”
Those who wish to increase their walking speed are advised to start at a comfortable pace and then gradually increase the number of steps per minute.
He says: "Short steps are probably safer than long steps in terms of the risk of tripping. It is important to maintain proper body posture - a person should stand up straight, pull their shoulders back, relax, and move their arms while walking."
The doctor emphasizes that it is not necessary to walk 10,000 steps a day.
He says: "I advise a person to start where they are and track their current step count for a few days. After that, they can increase it to 5,000-6,000 steps, and then try to reach 7,000-8,000 steps a day. If they have the time, opportunity, and resources to reach 10,000 steps, that's great. But I think reaching 7,000-8,000 steps is the goal a person should strive for."
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