Can You Walk Your Way to Better Health?
The American Heart Association cites research showing the health benefits of regular walking and the importance of safe walking spaces in communities.
Whether you’re taking a leisurely stroll through your neighborhood or a power-walk in the park, the American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, says taking part in physical activity is one of the best ways to manage stress, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke and boost your mood.
Improved technology and the growing popularity of fitness applications, electronic wearables and step counters have made counting steps an easy way to count health benefits, as noted through a growing body of scientific research. A study presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Conference 2021 (EPI), found that
• Study participants who took more steps in short spurts lived longer, regardless of how many steps they had in longer, uninterrupted bouts. The benefits leveled off at about 4,500 steps a day in short spurts.
Excerpted from Newsroom
