Walks Only On Weekly Offs Might Have Health Benefits Too: Study

As per WHO, adults must do at least 150-300 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity or at least 75-159 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week. Interestingly, a new study is showing that walking 8,000 brisk steps a day or walking just one to two days is still associated with lasting health benefits such as cardiovascular protection and reduced risk of mortality from heart diseases.

The study published in the publication JAMA has found that people 20 years or older who took 8,000 or more steps on one or two days a week were 14.9 per cent less likely to die compared to people who were leading sedentary lifestyles. The same health benefits were observed in people following walking targets like 6,000 to 10,000 steps.

What did the study find?

The study aimed to look at people who spare weekly offs for their health regime and those who might be taking out some time each day to reach certain health targets. The study found that the risk of death dropped as the number of exercising days increased but it also showed that a two-day workout can also provide health benefits as compared to leading a sedentary lifestyle. The study involved 3,101 participants 20 years or older and their fitness routine was analysed.

As per the study authors, the research provided some useful information that could validate weekend fitness regimes. The study found that even a two-day per week exercise routine can cut down cardiovascular risk and mortality risk. This could provide some hope to people who might be finding it hard to keep up the daily fitness targets or falling short of fitness goals due to work pressure during the working days.

What is brisk walking?

Brisk walking is a moderate-intensity physical exercise. As per CDC, moderate-intensity aerobic activity is something that can make a person sweat and can raise their heartbeat to a level where they can speak the lyrics of a song but cannot sing it. As per research, 10 minutes of brisk walking could help inactive people attain a moderate weight. It is often compared to other forms of fitness alternatives such as jogging could help burn calories fast but as per experts, brisk walking is a good ground to start a moderate exercise routine. Even for those who might want to escalate the intensity of their workout, brisk walking could be a good way to warm up for a few days.