Walking Reduces Cardiovascular Risk As Much As Running

Brisk walking can reduce a person’s risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol just as much as running can. Perhaps even a little more.

The finding came from a study published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology in 2013. This study, which lasted 6 years and examined 33,060 runners in the National Runners’ Health Study and 15,045 walkers in the National Walkers’ Health Study.

The investigators discovered that – as long as walkers and runners achieved the same distance –  moderate intensity walking and vigorous intensity running lead to comparable reductions in the likelihood diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), and potentially coronary heart disease.

Walking and running expenditure was evaluated by distance (not time, like previous research). So this seems to be some validation towards the theory of the number of steps a day required to promote health.

Results showed:

• The risk for first-time hypertension was notably reduced 4.2% by running and 7.2% by walking.
• The risk for first-time high cholesterol was reduced 4.3% by running and 7% by walking.
• The risk for first-time diabetes was lowered 12.1% by running and 12.3% by walking.
• The risk for coronary heart disease was lowered 4.5% by running and 9.3% by walking.

Looking at these figures, it seems that walking was MORE effective than running at reducing these measures that are usually considered markers for cardiovascular health/disease risk than running was. Of course, walking takes a bit longer, but it is more sustainable.

It is worth remembering that regular exercise in middle age has been shown to protect the heart.

So, you can either run or walk to reduce cardiovascular risk, or even better, do a mix of the two. Research on a small number (36) of college students had previously concluded that the best way to save energy and maintain endurance may be to alternate between walking and running.

NOTE: Cycling will also have benefits, but the study shown compared walking and running as they are more similar in terms of using the same muscles.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23559628

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/258646.php

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/255686.php

www.pilatesfitness.co.uk