People who walk fast not only get from place to place in a shorter period of time, but according to new research, they also have longer to get where they're going.
The fleet of foot will be thrilled to learn that a recent study published in the Mayo Clinic Journal of Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that fast walkers tend to have longer lifespans than their slower-moving counterparts.
Of the study's 475,000 participants, those who reported a brisk walking pace had longer life expectancies across all levels of BMIs, ranging from 86.7 to 87.8 years in women and 85.2 to 86.8 years in men. On the other hand, subjects who reported a slow walking pace had significantly shorter life expectancies: an average of 72.4 years for women and 64.8 years for men.
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Surprisingly, the lowest life expectancy was seen in those who were underweight with a slow walking pace. "This is in contrast to assumption that is often made that obesity confers the most risk," Professor Tom Yates, the study's lead author, told Newsweek.
The takeaway? "People should be conscious of their walking pace, and slow walkers should try and walk faster," Yates concluded.
This article originally appeared on Southern Living by Meghan Overdeep.
