An international team led by the University of Sydney and Spain’s Universidad Europea has found that longer periods of uninterrupted walking provide greater cardiovascular (heart) benefits than the same number of steps taken in shorter bursts.
The study focused on physically inactive adults, revealing that walking in one or two continuous sessions lasting at least 10 to 15 minutes lowers the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death more effectively than spreading the same steps across brief intervals.
Walking Patterns Matter More Than Just Step Count
While the popular 10,000-step goal remains a known guideline, this research shows that how walking is accumulated through the day plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health benefits.
Even individuals taking fewer than 8,000 steps daily can reduce their heart disease risk by concentrating their activity into longer sessions rather than several short walks.
Measurable Impact on Mortality and Cardiovascular Events
The study tracked more than 33,000 adults aged 40-79 over eight years, monitoring their walking patterns through wearable devices. Among participants walking fewer than 8,000 steps daily, those who walked continuously for 10-15 minutes had just a 4% chance of experiencing a cardiovascular event, compared with 13% for those who walked in bouts of 5 minutes or less.
Remarkably, the most inactive individuals—those walking 5,000 steps or fewer—halved their risk of cardiovascular disease and death when increasing continuous walk duration from 5 to 15 minutes.
Practical Advice for Inactive Adults
Health experts emphasize that adding one or two longer walks each day at a comfortable pace can significantly improve heart health, even without reaching high step counts.
Simple lifestyle adjustments focusing on longer walking sessions may offer an accessible path to reducing cardiovascular risks, particularly for those struggling with physical inactivity.
Implications for Public Health and Personal Fitness
This research shifts the focus from merely tracking total steps to considering walking patterns as a key factor in health outcomes.
By encouraging longer continuous walks, public health policies and exercise guidelines can better cater to inactive populations aiming to lower their cardiovascular risks with manageable changes to daily routines.
