Walking gently stresses the body’s key systems (heart and lungs, muscles, joints and circulation). This stress leads to the body adapting to accommodate the increased demands on it – i.e. becoming fitter. Walking stresses the body at a level that is considered very beneficial to overall health and fitness but is within the reach and ability of all adults and children.
It is important to remember that walking at 3 mph uses up only 30% of the maximum energy consumption of a person aged 25. But, as this decreases by 10% a decade, a person aged 75 walking at the same speed uses up 60% of his / her maximum energy. This principle is central to walking advice or prescription.
Brisk walking can improve cardiovascular fitness3. Even 10-minute brisk walks can increase fitness. One study reported that women walking continuously for 30 minutes on 5 days a week had almost identical increases in fitness as women who split their 30 minutes into three 10-minute walks4. Some younger men and most other adults would improve their fitness if they took up regular brisk walking5.
We have estimated that encouraging the adult population to walk at 3 mph instead of their slower usual pace would be sufficient to improve their levels of cardiovascular fitness. This message would be appropriate for approximately 6.3 million English adults or 23% of all adults aged 16-74 years (using data from the 1990 National Fitness Survey6. Figure 6 illustrates this.
Figure 6: Average levels of fitness for both genders at different age groups with the reach of brisk walking and its potential impact on improving fitness
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As muscle strength declines with aging, regular brisk walking can maintain functional capacity and muscle strength. For both men and women there is a strong relationship between stronger muscle strength and brisker preferred walking speed7.
Walking and other physical activities can increase joint range of motion, particularly for older adults. Stronger muscles, joints and general flexibility developed and maintained by walking can reduce the likelihood of fallsii. The risks of injury by participating in walking are extremely small8.
It is important to remember that walking at 3 mph uses up only 30% of the maximum energy consumption of a person aged 25. But, as this decreases by 10% a decade, a person aged 75 walking at the same speed uses up 60% of his / her maximum energy. This principle is central to walking advice or prescription.
Brisk walking can improve cardiovascular fitness3. Even 10-minute brisk walks can increase fitness. One study reported that women walking continuously for 30 minutes on 5 days a week had almost identical increases in fitness as women who split their 30 minutes into three 10-minute walks4. Some younger men and most other adults would improve their fitness if they took up regular brisk walking5.
We have estimated that encouraging the adult population to walk at 3 mph instead of their slower usual pace would be sufficient to improve their levels of cardiovascular fitness. This message would be appropriate for approximately 6.3 million English adults or 23% of all adults aged 16-74 years (using data from the 1990 National Fitness Survey6. Figure 6 illustrates this.
Figure 6: Average levels of fitness for both genders at different age groups with the reach of brisk walking and its potential impact on improving fitness
Your browser may not support display of this image.
As muscle strength declines with aging, regular brisk walking can maintain functional capacity and muscle strength. For both men and women there is a strong relationship between stronger muscle strength and brisker preferred walking speed7.
Walking and other physical activities can increase joint range of motion, particularly for older adults. Stronger muscles, joints and general flexibility developed and maintained by walking can reduce the likelihood of fallsii. The risks of injury by participating in walking are extremely small8.