In a new study, researchers found that short-term walking interventions can bring long-term health benefits to many people.
The research was done by a team from the St George’s University of London, UK and other institutions.
Physical activity has been shown to be protective for many health conditions, and inactivity is a key risk factor contributing to the global burden of disease.
For example, one recent study from Harvard University found that walking and weight training may protect people from chronic liver disease.
The exercises were linked to a much lower risk of cirrhosis-related death.
Other recent studies found that people who walk faster are less likely to have depression, dementia, and may live longer.
However, there are few studies have tested the long-term benefits of physical activity.
In the study, the team examined 12-week pedometer-based walking interventions in primary care.
A total of 1297 participants were followed up with long-term data from primary health records at 4 years.
The team focused on walking interventions that aimed to increase step count and physical activity.
They found that walking activities could increase physical activity in people at 3-4 years and lower their risks of heart disease and fractures.
People in the intervention group were less likely to have a heart attack or stroke or a fracture) than those in the control group.
The team says that short-term walking treatment can produce long-term health benefits and should be more widely used to improve people’s health.
The lead author of the study is Tess Harris, St George’s University of London.
The study is published in PLOS Medicine.
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