Tired of your smartwatch reminding you that you haven’t hit 10,000 steps today? It’s time to dismiss the notification. Walking any distance is beneficial for health, even if you don’t reach this popular (but actually, pretty arbitrary) threshold.
However, studies haven’t looked into whether taking walks in shorter or longer bursts impacts heart health—until now.
A new study published in Annals of Internal Medicine confirms that it’s not just the steps that count: the length of your daily walks matters, too—and hitting 15 minutes at a time may come with significant cardiovascular and longevity benefits.
The Longer the Walk, the Better the Health Outcomes
This study used the popular health database, the UK Biobank, to draw parallels between walking behavior and risk of death and cardiovascular disease.
An international research team analyzed data from 33,560 adults. Participants averaged 62 years old at the start of the study, and took fewer than 8,000 steps a day. Beginning in 2013, they were instructed to wear a walking sensor for seven days. About a decade later, they underwent follow-up testing so researchers could assess their health.