Didn’t hit ten thousand steps today? Relax — you might not need to!
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Walking is a tried and true way to exercise, no gym membership required. But with a packed schedule, who has time for long strolls?
Enter Larry Liu and team from Vanderbilt University. They analyzed the health and walking habits of nearly eighty thousand people. Seventeen years later, they compared this to mortality data.
Results? SPEED mattered more than distance! Just fifteen minutes of brisk walking a day cut the risk of death by twenty percent.
So if you’re short on time, pick up the pace!! Rest assured, it’s a step in the right direction.
Reference: Liu, L., Jia, G., Shrubsole, M. J., Wen, W., Andersen, S. W., Sudenga, S. L., & Zheng, W. (2025). Daily Walking and Mortality in Racially and Socioeconomically Diverse U.S. Adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 69(4), 107738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2025.107738