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Longer Walks vs. Short Ones with the Same Daily Step Total
Ever wonder if it makes a difference in your daily step total if the walking is done in many short stints vs. one or two long nonstop segments?
We all know the importance of getting in many steps on a daily basis.
The magic number is often cited as at least 8,000 a day.
As far as a positive effect on your health, would it actually make a difference just how those steps are distributed throughout the day?
- A bunch of steps here and there from morning to bedtime?
- Or more sitting but then a few long stretches of continuous walking such as on a treadmill?
A large study looked at something many people don’t think about when it comes to walking.
It asked whether how you take your steps matters, not just the number on the pedometer at the end of the day.
The focus was on adults who weren’t very active, defined as walking fewer than 8,000 steps per day.
The study showed that people who walked in longer, uninterrupted sessions had lower risks of premature death and heart disease than those who took the same number of steps in short, scattered segments.
It’s important that we distinguish between the concept of “segments” and “bursts.”
In the fitness world, burst typically applies to quickness or fast speed.
The study did not investigate short fast or dashing-type walks; only the number of steps in briefer periods of walking.
The study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
How the Study Was Carried Out
Researchers analyzed data from 33,560 adults in the UK Biobank.
All participants averaged 8,000 steps per day or fewer.
Instead of only counting total steps, the researchers looked at how long people typically walked at one time.
Participants were grouped by walking session length.
These included sessions:
- Under five minutes
- Five to under 10 minutes
- 10 to under 15 minutes
- 15 minutes or longer
The typical participant walked about 5,165 steps per day.
About 43 percent took most of their steps in sessions lasting less than five minutes.
These were short walks like moving around the house or brief trips during the day.
Another 33.5 percent mainly walked in five to 10 minute sessions.
Only a small portion walked for longer stretches, with just 8 percent regularly walking 15 minutes or more at a time.
Longer Nonstop Walking and Lower Premature Death
Over an average follow-up period of 9.5 years, a strong pattern emerged.
People who mostly walked in segments under five minutes had the highest risk of death from any cause.
As walking sessions became longer, that risk dropped steadily.
Those who walked in 5-10 minute periods had a much lower risk.
The lowest risks were seen in people who regularly walked for 10 minutes or more at a time. Nonstop.
Even modest increases in session length were linked to meaningful health benefits.
Heart Health and Continuous Walking
The connection between walking style and heart health was even clearer.
Participants who took most of their steps in very short sessions had the highest risk of cardiovascular disease over time.
As walking periods got longer, heart disease risk dropped sharply.
People who walked for 15 minutes or more at a time had the lowest risk by a wide margin.
Longer Walks vs. Same Number of Steps Spread Throughout the Day
The benefits of longer walking sessions were strongest among the most inactive participants.
For adults taking fewer than 5,000 steps per day, walking in longer, uninterrupted bouts was strongly linked to lower risks of both death and cardiovascular disease.
In this group, how steps were accumulated mattered even more than the total number of steps.
These findings suggest that people who are mostly sedentary don’t necessarily need to chase high step counts right away.
Instead, focusing on longer, more intentional walking sessions may be a simpler and more effective way to improve health.
Even short daily walks that last 10 to 15 minutes could make a marked difference over time, especially for those who currently move very little.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness, where she was also a group fitness instructor, she trained clients of all ages and abilities for fat loss and maintaining it, muscle and strength building, fitness, and improved cardiovascular and overall health.
Top image: Freepik
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