Pick up the Pace of Your Daily Walk to Boost Longevity, Experts Say

Regular walking is widely recognized for its significant benefits to overall health and well-being. Previous research has primarily focused on middle-to-high-income White populations. Now, a novel analysis using data from the Southern Community Cohort Study, involving 79,856 predominantly low-income and Black individuals across 12 southeastern US states, confirms the benefits of regular walking, especially at a faster pace, within a crucial, underrepresented group. The new studyopens in new tab/window appearing in the American Journal of Preventive Medicineopens in new tab/window, published by Elsevier, underscores the importance of promoting walking, particularly at a brisk pace, as an effective form of physical activity for improving health.

Lead investigator Wei Zheng, MD, PhD, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says, “While the health benefits of daily walking are well-established, limited research has investigated effects of factors such as walking pace on mortality, particularly in low-income and Black/African-American populations. Our research has shown that fast walking as little as 15 minutes a day was associated with a nearly 20% reduction in total mortality, while a smaller reduction in mortality was found in association with more than three hours of daily slow walking. This benefit remained strong even after accounting for other lifestyle factors and was consistent across various sensitivity analyses.”

Participants reported the average amount of time per day (minutes) they typically spend “walking slowly (such as moving around, walking at work, walking the dog, or engaging in light exercise)” and “walking fast (such as climbing stairs, brisk walking, or exercising).” Information regarding vital status and cause of death was obtained by linking the cohort to the National Death Index.

The protective effect of fast walking extended to all causes of death but was most pronounced for cardiovascular diseases. Importantly, the benefits of fast walking were independent of overall leisure-time physical activity levels (LTPA). Even for those who are already engaged in slow walking or some LTPA, adding more fast walking further reduced mortality.

According to the study the benefits of fast walking related to cardiovascular health are:

• Boosts heart efficiency: As an aerobic exercise, fast walking improves cardiac output, increases oxygen delivery, and enhances the efficiency of the heart's pumping action, leading to better overall cardiovascular health.

• Manages cardiovascular risk factors: Regular fast walking helps control body weight and composition, reducing obesity and related risks like hypertension and dyslipidemia.

• Highly accessible: Fast walking is a convenient, low-impact activity suitable for individuals of all ages and fitness levels.

Low-income populations often face economic constraints and are more likely to reside in impoverished, highly polluted communities with limited access to safe walking spaces. Additionally, these populations tend to have a higher prevalence of lifestyle behaviors that may increase disease risk and mortality, such as lower quality diet, cigarette smoking, and heavy alcohol consumption. At the same time, there are other challenges for individuals with low income such as lack of access to health insurance or healthcare that may also increase mortality. These factors collectively contribute to an increased mortality among low-income individuals and may potentially elucidate the racial disparities observed in longevity. By demonstrating the benefits of fast walking in this study, this research provides direct evidence to inform targeted interventions and policies to improve health equity.

Lead author of the article Lili Liu, MPH, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, School of Medicine, and Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, concludes, “Public health campaigns and community-based programs can emphasize the importance and availability of fast walking to improve health outcomes, providing resources and support to facilitate increased fast walking within all communities. Furthermore, the findings of the reduced mortality associated with fast walking pace were supported by previous studies conducted in middle- and upper-middle-income populations. Individuals should strive to incorporate more intense physical activity into their routines, such as brisk walking or other forms of aerobic exercise.”

Notes for editors

The article is “Daily Walking and Mortality in Racially and Socioeconomically Diverse U.S. Adults,” by Lili Liu, MPH, Guochong Jia, PhD, Martha J. Shrubsole, PhD, Wanqing Wen, MD, MPH, Shaneda Warren Andersen, PhD, Staci L. Sudenga, PhD, and Wei Zheng, MD, PhD (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2025.107738opens in new tab/window). It appears online in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier.

The article is openly available for 30 days at https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(25)00230-2/fulltextopens in new tab/window.

Full text of this article is also available to credentialed journalists upon request; contact Astrid Engelen at +31 6 14395474 or [email protected]opens in new tab/window. Journalists wishing to interview the authors should contact Craig Boerner, Department of News and Communications, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, at +1 615 322 4747 or [email protected]opens in new tab/window.

Research reported in this publication was supported, in part, by the National Institutes of Health under Award Number U01CA202979.

About the American Journal of Preventive Medicine

The American Journal of Preventive Medicineopens in new tab/window is the official journal of the American College of Preventive Medicineopens in new tab/window and the Association for Prevention Teaching and Researchopens in new tab/window. It publishes articles in the areas of prevention research, teaching, practice and policy. Original research is published on interventions aimed at the prevention of chronic and acute disease and the promotion of individual and community health. The journal features papers that address the primary and secondary prevention of important clinical, behavioral and public health issues such as injury and violence, infectious disease, women's health, smoking, sedentary behaviors and physical activity, nutrition, diabetes, obesity, and alcohol and drug abuse. Papers also address educational initiatives aimed at improving the ability of health professionals to provide effective clinical prevention and public health services. The journal also publishes official policy statements from the two co-sponsoring organizations, health services research pertinent to prevention and public health, review articles, media reviews, and editorials. www.ajpmonline.orgopens in new tab/window

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