How to Maximize the Health Benefits of Walking
But most of the research on walking has focused on how long people walk, not how quickly. Recent studies have hinted that altering your walking pace—which has become popular as Japanese walking (also known as interval walking)—might have additional benefits.
In a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers led by Dr. Wei Zheng, professor and director of the Vanderbilt University Epidemiology Center, studied whether walking pace made a difference in people's health. They studied 86,000 people who reported how much they walked each day, as well as other health-related activities such as their diet and whether they smoked or drank alcohol. Over 17 years, the researchers tracked their death rates and correlated mortality to their walking pattern.
They found that people who walked at a faster pace for at least 15 minutes a day had a lower risk of dying during the study period than those who walked more slowly. Both groups lowered their risk of death during that time, but the reduction was more impressive among those who regularly walked at a brisker pace.
Read More: Why Walking Isn't Enough When It Comes to Exercise
While those findings may not be entirely surprising, Zheng says the trial focused on a group of people who aren't typically part of exercise studies. About half of the people in the trial made less than $15,000 a year, and two-thirds of the participants were Black. Studies have documented that these groups 'are at high risk of many diseases including diabetes and hypertension,' says Zheng—so the lower mortality rate is especially reassuring, since it represents a relatively low impact and low cost way to improve health.
Current government health recommendations advise moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week, and Zheng says that his study shows that even 15 minutes a day can provide benefits. That's good news for people who may currently be sedentary and for whom starting an exercise program can be challenging. 'If you walk just 15 minutes a day, which is below the recommended level [of exercise], you still benefit,' he says.
And while the results showed that people who walked the fastest had the greatest reduction in mortality, Zheng says it's important to remember that even people walking at a slower pace showed some benefit. That suggests that if people continue walking, even at a slower pace, and add a few minutes of faster paced walking into their regimen, they could increase their health benefits. Such interval training has long been popular in exercise regimens, but the latest data suggest it applies to walking as well.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
21 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Virtua Health Exec: 'Don't See the Softness in Who I Am as a Weakness'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. When Rhonda Jordan began her career, she imagined herself in retail, climbing the ranks to become a buyer for a major brand. But a frank conversation with a district director about the racial barriers she'd face changed her course—and ultimately steered her into a career that would give her the power to break down those barriers for others. Now the chief human resources officer at Virtua Health, a New Jersey–based health system, Jordan has spent nearly three decades championing workforce development, diversity and employee well-being. Her journey to the C-suite wasn't linear, but it was driven by one constant: a deep belief in the power of people. "I'm not your traditional HR person," Jordan told Newsweek. Originally from Texas, Jordan earned her degree in marketing and pursued a career in retail management. She went into an executive development program with plans to climb the corporate ladder but eventually realized that none of the people who were receiving promotions looked like her. Rhonda Jordan is the chief human resources officer for Virtua Health, a five-hospital academic health system based in Southern New Jersey. Rhonda Jordan is the chief human resources officer for Virtua Health, a five-hospital academic health system based in Southern New Jersey. Newsweek Illustration "I went to my district director and said, 'Well, what is it going to take for me?'" Jordan recalled. "She told me that because I was Black, it was going to take me longer." That conversation dulled Jordan's outlook on the retail industry, but it didn't dull her ambition. She realized that her skill set could be transferred to recruiting—a move that ultimately brought her to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. There, a supportive female leader saw her potential, mentoring her into a leadership role. She joined Virtua in the 1990s as a director of HR, steadily rising through the ranks before becoming CHRO in 2013. Along the way, she collected not only new titles but a deeper understanding of how inclusive leadership can transform organizations. Jordan credits much of Virtua's success to a culture of inclusion modeled by its CEO, Dennis Pullin, and embraced across all levels of leadership. "Our CEO is outstanding in creating an inclusive environment, and he ensures that every voice gets heard," Jordan said. "He pauses to allow individuals to ask questions. He will call on you if he hasn't heard from you, because it's so important to hear your voice." Under Jordan's leadership—with support from others on the executive team, including Pullin—Virtua has set itself apart in a competitive health care talent market. The health system recently landed on Newsweek's ranking of America's Greatest Workplaces 2025 with a perfect five-star score. It has also been recognized by Press Ganey (a data and technology company that partners with 41,000 health care providers) for an exceptional "culture of belonging." In 2019, Virtua acquired Lourdes Health System, and the following year, it provided care throughout the challenging COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the turbulence, 88 percent of Virtua employees reported "feeling like a part of [the] organization," even when working from home. That score well outperforms Press Ganey's national average. Virtua's mission to diversify its leadership has helped foster its strong culture, according to Jordan. The system holds annual talent reviews to identify and support high-potential, diverse employees—and it shows in the numbers. Virtua has instituted bylaws to ensure that its board of trustees reflects the demographics of its patient population, and more than half of its senior leaders are women. That's a rare achievement in the health care industry. Women compose nearly 70 percent of the global health care workforce but hold less than a quarter of the sector's leadership roles. "Health care is a female-dominated profession, and it was only in some of those higher [leadership] levels that you might not have seen the females," Jordan said. "That is not the case at Virtua. We continue to foster and promote diverse talent as well as women talent." Jordan's people-first approach isn't limited to executives. One of her top priorities is ensuring that every employee sees a path forward, from emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to lab techs to janitors. That means investing in training, education partnerships and internal mobility. Virtua's workforce development director works to identify roles with high turnover or shortages. Then, the system funds employees' educations to advance them into those areas of need. Examples include a pathway from EMT to paramedic to registered nurse and a lab program that starts with phlebotomy and leads to medical laboratory science. The system also launched its own staffing agency and partnered with Rowan University to funnel nursing graduates into a bachelor's program. Additionally, Jordan leads initiatives like the career ambassador program, which matches employees with colleagues in roles they aspire to. Many participants have gone on to new jobs or promotions within the system. "When staff can see people look like them, they perform," Jordan said. "Productivity increases, retention increases—but you have to make [diverse representation] a focus and a priority for your organization." Jordan has prioritized not only professional development but colleague well-being. Through the WE Thrive initiative, Virtua offers resources spanning mental health, peer support, physical wellness activities and even emergency financial aid. The system's colleague communities continue to foster connection and mentorship, even outside of the workplace. Jordan serves as the executive ambassador for the Black and African American Colleague Community group, which recently hosted a career development session attended by more than 50 staff members. Her leadership style blends approachability with resolve, which she says has helped her succeed where some predecessors didn't. "Don't see the softness in who I am as a weakness," Jordan said. "There's strength behind that softness." She strives to be calm in chaos, consistent in demeanor and fiercely committed to listening. When she first stepped into the CHRO role, she sought out an executive coach from outside of health care—a male, former CHRO—to make sure she was equipped but didn't lose her sense of self. Despite what she was told in the early days of her career, "I did not have to change who I was," Jordan said. "You can be who you are and still continue to have an impact." Outside of work, Jordan finds joy in her family—especially her young granddaughter, who calls her "Gigi"—and in her longtime membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, where she has continued her commitment to service and sisterhood since college. "The sorority became my extended family when I first moved to New Jersey with no family whatsoever," she said. "I'm in health care because we serve, and I want to make sure that I'm giving back to my community. I do that through my sorority as well." Whether at Virtua Health or in her social circles, Jordan is a leader who doesn't accept limits on herself or others. It's a skill that pushes everyone in her orbit to be the best, most authentic version of themselves—and to not view those terms as mutually exclusive. Jordan will join Newsweek at this year's inaugural Women's Global Impact forum. The August 5 event, hosted at Newsweek's headquarters in New York City, will bring together some of the world's top female executives and connect them with rising stars across industries and job functions. For more information on the event, please visit the Women's Global Impact homepage.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Your heart may be older than you think — and the number could predict disease risk
Your heart may be older than you are, according to new research. A study from Northwestern Medicine found that most American adults have a 'heart age' that is several years older than their chronological age. The gap is wider among men than women, the researchers found, as well as in Black and Hispanic people and those with lower education and income, according to a university press release. To help people assess their own cardiac age, the researchers developed a free online tool that makes the calculation. Using guidelines from the American Heart Association, the PREVENT Risk Age Calculator determines a person's heart disease risk based on several factors, including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, smoking status, current medications and the presence of diabetes. 5 A study found that most American adults have a 'heart age' that is several years older than their chronological age. Wesley/ – The risk level is provided as an age rather than a percentage. 'Heart age, or PREVENT age, may be particularly useful for patients and clinicians and be more effective in preventing heart disease,' senior author Dr. Sadiya Khan, the Magerstadt professor of cardiovascular epidemiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who led the development of the PREVENT equations, told Fox News Digital. 'It translates complex information about the risk of heart attack, stroke or heart failure over the next 10 years into a number that is easier to understand and compare with one we are all familiar with — your actual age.' 5 To help people assess their own cardiac age, the researchers developed a free online tool that makes the calculation. dragonstock – The goal is for the tool to help doctors and patients discuss heart disease risk more effectively, helping to ensure the right therapies to prevent heart attacks, stroke or heart failure events, according to Khan. The researchers tested the tool on more than 14,100 American adults across the U.S., ranging in age from 30 to 79, who had no history of heart disease. The adults' data was obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which was gathered from 2011 to March 2020. 5 The risk level is provided as an age rather than a percentage. amazing studio – Women had an average heart age of 55.4, nearly four years higher than their average chronological age of 51.3. Men had an average heart age of 56.7, seven years higher than their chronological age of 49.7. More than 22% of women and 33% of men with a high-school education or less had a heart age that exceeded their chronological age by more than 10 years. 5 Men had an average heart age of 56.7, seven years higher than their chronological age of 49.7. lovelyday12 – The findings were published in JAMA Cardiology on Wednesday. The hope is that more information about heart health risk could increase preventive care, Khan said, as heart disease has been the country's leading cause of death for over 100 years. 'Many people who should be on medicine to lower their risk for heart attack, stroke or heart failure are not on these medications,' the preventive cardiologist noted. 5 The hope is that more information about heart health risk could increase preventive care, Khan said. Syda Productions – 'We hope this new heart age calculator will help support discussions about prevention and ultimately improve health for all people.' This may be even more important in younger people, Khan noted, as they are less likely to be aware of their heart disease risk. The calculator is not intended to serve as a substitute for in-person assessments by a physician. One limitation of the study, the researchers noted, is that 'the definition of optimal risk may influence the calculation of PREVENT risk age.' 'Alternatively, population-based percentiles of risk can provide a complementary approach to communicating risk, but these are influenced by suboptimal population health,' they wrote. 'This type of tool needs to be tested widely to determine if it is more readily understood,' Khan told Fox News Digital. Future studies are needed to measure the impact of heart age on healthy lifestyle changes, preventive therapies and patient outcomes, the team concluded.
Axios
3 hours ago
- Axios
What it costs to give birth in Louisiana
If you're giving birth in Louisiana anytime, you can expect to see a total in-network cost of around $11,300 for a vaginal delivery and $14,800 for a C-section, per data from FAIR Health. The big picture: Those numbers put the cost of giving birth in Louisiana among the lowest in the nation. By the numbers: The nationwide average in-network cost is about $15,200 for vaginal deliveries and $19,300 for C-sections, the national independent nonprofit reports. How it works: The amounts in the FAIR Health Cost of Giving Birth Tracker include delivery, ultrasounds, lab work and more. They reflect total costs paid by patients as well as their insurance companies, as applicable. Financial responsibilities of insured patients are typically well below the total amount paid, with average out-of-pocket costs of just under $3,000 in 2018-2020, per a 2022 analysis by the Peterson Center and KFF. What they're saying: Many factors drive the differences between states, Rachel Kent of FAIR Health tells Axios, including provider training levels, local salaries and costs of living, malpractice insurance costs and insurer bargaining power. Between the lines: Black and Hispanic people paid more out-of-pocket for maternal care than Asian and white patients with the same insurance, per a study published earlier this year in JAMA Health Forum.
