A recent study revealed taking one long walk may positively impact your cardiac health as compared to the several short strolls, even if your total step count stays similar.
Researchers discovered that continuous 10–15-minute walks minimised the risk of cardiac disorders and early death than to short, under-5-minute bout.
The effect was particularly strong among sedentary or less active adults.
For the study, students tracked nearly 33,500 U.K. adults who took 8,000 steps or fewer each day. Over nearly 10 years, participants whose walks mostly lasted less than five minutes had a 4.4% mortality risk, while those who walked 10-15 minutes or longer experienced only a 0.8% risk.
When it came to cardiac disorders, and stroke combined, the risk was nearly 13% for those taking brief walks versus up to 4.4% for individuals who regularly walked 15 minutes or more at a time.
The scientists mentioned that people who were tracking less than 5,000 daily steps received maximum benefits, suggesting that longer, consistent walks can deliver an extra heart-health boost for sedentary individuals.
The researchers emphasised that the duration of activity matters as much as total steps in supporting cardiovascular health.
