A recent scientific study conducted in the United States and Australia revealed that walking or exercising for a continuous period ranging between 10 and 15 minutes a day is better than walking several times a day for 5 minutes at a time, to reduce the risk of heart disease and premature death, especially for people who live a sedentary or less active life, even if the same number of steps are taken daily.
According to the study published in the scientific journal “Annals of Internal Medicine,” a research team from the European University in Sydney, Australia, Harvard University, and Brigham Hospital in the United States followed the health status of about 33,000 adults in Britain who were keen to walk 8,000 steps a day.
Over the course of nearly 10 years, it was found that the odds of premature death for those who walked several times for periods of time of less than 5 minutes at a time was 4.4%, compared to 0.8% for those who walked the same number of steps in 10 to 15 minutes. The risk of heart disease or stroke was 13% for those who walked less than 5 minutes at a time, compared to 3.4% for those who walked 15 minutes or more daily.
The study indicated that the relationship between walking for longer periods and reducing the risk of heart disease or premature death was clearer for those who live a sedentary life or take less than 5,000 steps per day.
In statements to the “Health Day” website, which specializes in medical research, researchers participating in the study said that walking for longer periods may be more beneficial if the person starts taking fewer steps.