Slow walkers tend to die sooner. But exactly how fast do you need to walk to stay ahead of death?
Researchers followed 1,705 older men for five years. One measure: walking speed.
By the end, 266 had died.
Not a single man who walked 3 mph (5 km/h) or faster died. None of those men “had contact with Death.”
It was a small group. Only 22 of the 1,705 men hit that pace. But none of them died.
Two key numbers:
2 mph (3 km/h) — the speed linked to a lower risk of dying. A mile in 30 minutes. A relaxed stroll.
3 mph (5 km/h) — the speed at which no one died. Not a stroll. Not a jog. Somewhere purposeful in between. A mile in 20 minutes.
Share this with your walking friends.
A recent review of almost 531,000 people found that fast walkers had a 43% lower risk of dying than slow walkers.
Every small increase in pace mattered — death risk dropped another 6%.
You don’t have to be fast. You just have to be faster than you are.
It’s not just death. Another review fround that slow walkers had a 20% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, a 31% higher risk of type 2 diabetes, and a 9% higher risk of cancer.
Lace up. Walk briskly. Make the Grim Reaper break a sweat.
Faster walkers tend to live longer, healthier lives.
People who walk slowly tend to die sooner. But exactly how fast do you need to walk to stay ahead of death?
Most wellness content is opinion dressed up as fact.
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Facts, no fluff — Heather

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