People who walk for 10 to 15 minutes at a time appear to be healthier than those who only take brief strolls lasting under five minutes – even when their total number of steps is similar, researchers have found.
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According to the study, those who regularly walked in continuous bouts of 10 to 15 minutes reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease by up to two-thirds compared with people whose activity came from shorter, scattered walks throughout the day.
The study, led by scientists from the University of Sydney and the Universidad Europea in Spain and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, examined how different walking patterns influence cardiovascular outcomes among people who are generally inactive.
Among participants averaging fewer than 8,000 steps a day, those who concentrated their activity into one or two sessions lasting 10-15 minutes had a significantly lower risk of heart attack, stroke and death than those whose walking came from frequent, shorter bouts of a few minutes each.
Dr Matthew Ahmadi from the University of Sydney, said the findings suggest even modest changes could make a measurable difference.
“For people who are least active, swapping a few short walks for one or two continuous sessions of at least 10 minutes may bring real health benefits,” he says. “There’s a common perception that hitting 10,000 steps a day is essential, but that’s not necessarily the case. What matters most is how you take those steps.”
The research tracked 33,560 adults aged 40 to 79 who generally walked fewer than 8,000 steps a day and had no previous diagnosis of heart disease or cancer. Each volunteer wore a wrist-worn activity tracker for a week, giving scientists detailed data on both the number of steps taken and how those steps were spread throughout the day.
After following participants for around eight years, the researchers found clear differences in heart health between those who took longer, continuous walks and those whose steps came in short, fragmented bursts.
- Those who took daily 10-15 minute walks had only a 4% risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event, compared with 13% among those walking in brief, five-minute spells.
- Among the least active participants – those averaging fewer than 5,000 steps a day – the risk of heart disease fell from 15% for short walkers to 7% for those who managed longer walks.
- Mortality risk also dropped dramatically, from 5% to less than 1% among the most sedentary individuals.
Experts say the message is clear: even modest, sustained movement can make a tangible difference. A couple of 10-minute walks a day – perhaps on a lunch break or after dinner – could help reduce the risk of serious heart problems for millions of people who struggle to meet daily activity goals.
“It’s not about perfection. It’s about consistency. A steady 10-minute walk can go a long way towards keeping your heart healthy,” says Dr Ahmadi