Walking is one of the easiest ways to stay healthy, but how fast you walk could make a big difference—especially for people in low-income and Black communities who are often left out of research.
A new study involving nearly 80,000 people from 12 southeastern US states shows that walking faster, even for a short time each day, can significantly lower the risk of dying early.
The research comes from the Southern Community Cohort Study, which followed mostly low-income and Black participants. Past studies on walking have focused mainly on wealthier White populations, so these new results highlight an important group that has been underrepresented in health research.
The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, shows that fast walking for as little as 15 minutes a day reduced the risk of death by almost 20%. In contrast, people who walked slowly for mor…
Participants in the study reported how many minutes per day they usually spent walking slowly—such as strolling, walking at work, or walking the dog—and how much time they spent walking quickly—such as brisk walking, climbing stairs, or exercising.
Researchers then linked this information to national death records to see how walking speed and time related to mortality.
The results showed that walking quickly lowered the risk of death from all causes, but the effect was strongest for deaths from heart disease. Even people who already did some slow walking or other leisure-time exercise gained extra benefits when they added more fast walking to their routine.
Fast walking benefits the heart in several ways. It makes the heart work more efficiently, boosts blood flow, and increases oxygen delivery throughout the body. It can also help manage weight, reduce high blood pressure, and improve cholesterol levels. Best of all, brisk walking is free, low-impact, and suitable for nearly everyone.
The study is especially important because low-income communities often face higher health risks. People in these areas may have limited access to safe walking spaces, healthy food, and healthcare. They may also live in more polluted neighborhoods and have higher rates of smoking or heavy drinking.
All of these factors can shorten life expectancy and contribute to racial disparities in health. By proving that fast walking can still make a difference in these challenging conditions, the researchers hope to encourage public health programs to promote it as a simple, effective way to improve health.
Lead author Lili Liu from Vanderbilt University suggests that public health campaigns and community programs should highlight the benefits of brisk walking and make it easier for people to do it. The study’s findings match what has been seen in wealthier populations, showing that the benefits of fast walking are universal.
In short, if you can pick up the pace, even for just 15 minutes a day, it could have a powerful impact on your health and lifespan—no gym membership required.
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The study is published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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