How Much Walking Is Recommended To Lower Your Risk Of Heart Disease?

Nikki Attkisson | Last Updated : July 25, 2022

Heart disease narrates a wide range of conditions that affect the heart. It is the main reason of death worldwide and accounts for an estimated 17.9 million deaths every year, as reported by the World Health Organization.

Heart Disease: The Study Reveals !!

Consuming unhealthy foods, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and drinking a huge amount of alcohol are some of the most common behavioral risk factors for heart disease and stroke, as per the report of the global health agency.

How Much Walking Is Recommended To Lower Your Risk Of Heart Disease

Fortunately, most heart conditions are preventable. The easiest way to minimize your risk is by walking. A new study has found that If you walk a couple of minutes, you can reduce your risk of heart disease considerably.

What are the findings of the new study?

According to a new study by Harvard Medical School, if you walk just for 20 minutes a day, then the risk of heart disease will reduce by 30%. This is equivalent to 2 and half hours of walking in a week. As per the report of Harvard Medical School, If anybody walks daily for a couple of minutes, it will help to reduce weight as well as lowering blood pressure, and cholesterol, reducing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and more.

Why is this research important?

As per the review of Harvard Medical School, when Covid-19 is still prevalent and is told to affect heart health. Several studies have shown that even mild covid-19 can have a severe effect on the body. According to a recent study in Nature Medicine, a mild case of Covid-19 can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems for at least a year after diagnosis.

It is found that the rates of many conditions like heart failure and stroke were substantially higher in people who had recovered from Covid-19 than in similar people who had not had the disease.

Role of walking in improving the health of the heart:

According to the American Heart Association, walking is one of the best ways for heart health. Walking not only boosts energy but also improves cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Apart from this, research also shows that walking lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes, maintains bone density, and certain cancers.

Experts believe that walking alleviates stress. One of the major risk factors for heart disease is stress. Several studies have shown that it is as effective as drugs for decreasing depression. Additionally, it helps with stress relief.

Other benefits you can get from walking:

Walking is the best exercise to prevent various conditions including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, and Type 2 diabetes. It also improves cardiovascular fitness, and muscles strengthen bones, increases energy levels, and help to maintain a healthy body weight.

Social populations:

The relationship between walking and CVD observed among adult peoples who did not undertake earlier vigorous PA suggest that walking is a good strategy for improving cardiovascular health benefit in the obese.

Walking is the second component for patients diagnosed with CVD and is supported by the existing recommendations. These are used to incorporate exercise into cardiac rehabilitation.

Walking daily will help to motivate you as well when you are stressed. If you are going to the gym, you could do this instead of going to the gym. Walk at least 40 minutes when you get time every week.

According to Somwail Rasla from Saint Vicent Hospital in the US, physical activity lowers the risk of heart failure but there might be a misconception that only walking is enough. Analysis showed that walking is important but different exercises along with this can give you more benefits. 


Nikki Attkisson

With over 15 years as a practicing journalist, Nikki Attkisson found herself at Powdersville Post now after working at several other publications. She is an award-winning journalist with an entrepreneurial spirit and worked as a journalist covering technology, innovation, environmental issues, politics, health etc. Nikki Attkisson has also worked on product development, content strategy, and editorial management for numerous media companies. She began her career at local news stations and worked as a reporter in national newspapers.

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