![]() It's something doctors could look at as an indicator of overall health. Walking speed itself is influenced by a whole host of factors as well, everything from lung capacity and motor control to mental health and motivation levels. That intensity is important: A leisurely stroll doesn't appear to have the same effect (although any kind of movement is good for you). Movement intensity on walks was measured by self-reporting and also fitness tracking wearables worn by the people involved in the study. The genetic analysis they carried out suggested a causal link between brisk walking and LTL, independent of any other physical activity. The researchers tapped into the UK Biobank database and pulled records on 405,981 middle-aged individuals. "In this study, we used information contained in people's genetic profile to show that a faster walking pace is indeed likely to lead to a younger biological age as measured by telomeres." "Whilst we have previously shown that walking pace is a very strong predictor of health status, we have not been able to confirm that adopting a brisk walking pace actually causes better health," says Tom Yates, a kinesiologist at the University of Leicester in the UK. ![]() Walking requires no training and no special equipment, and the researchers suggest it could be used more often in treatments as a way of improving health where appropriate. A lifetime of walking at speeds above an amble could mean the equivalent of being 16 years younger – cellularly speaking – by middle age using the metric. This 'biological age' essentially means how worn out the body's cells are getting.
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