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Is walking 20 minutes a day okay?

The researchers estimated that doing just 20 minutes of brisk walking every day or the equivalent (which would burn about 90 to 110 calories), would elevate a person into the “moderately inactive” group and reduce their risk of early death by 16 to 30 percent.

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A brisk walk could cut your risk of early death, even if you’re obese There’s now more encouraging evidence that you don’t have to run marathons to make a difference in your health. A brisk 20-minute walk each day could be enough to cut your risk of early death – even if you are obese, according to new research published Jan. 14. The study of more than 334,000 European men and women found that twice as many deaths may be attributable to lack of physical activity as to obesity. And a modest boost in activity could make a big difference, the study concluded.

Small Change = Big Reward

“This is a simple message: just a small amount of physical activity each day could have substantial health benefits for people who are physically inactive,” said Ulf Ekelund, of the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, England, who led the study. He added, however, that we should really aim for more than that. “Physical activity has many proven health benefits and should be an important part of our daily life,” noted Ekelund.

The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Exercise.

Deadly Effects of Inactivity

Inactivity puts you at increased risk of heart disease, cancer and early death, studies show. It can contribute to increased body mass index (BMI) and obesity, though the association with early death is independent of your BMI, the researchers said. In the Cambridge study, researchers found that the greatest reduction in risk of premature death occurred in the comparison between inactive and moderately-inactive groups. Subjects were categorized based on their level of work activity (such as being a desk worker vs. a nurse) and how active they were outside of work.

The Overweight Also Benefited

“Inactive” people – about 23 percent of participants – had sedentary jobs and no recreational activity. The researchers estimated that doing just 20 minutes of brisk walking every day or the equivalent (which would burn about 90 to 110 calories), would elevate a person into the “moderately inactive” group and reduce their risk of early death by 16 to 30 percent. There was a greater impact for people of normal weight, but “even those with a higher BMI saw a benefit,” researchers said. “Helping people to lose weight can be a real challenge,” said Nick Wareham, director of the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit.

He advocated for small changes that can make a big difference.

“Whilst we should continue to aim at reducing population levels of obesity, public health interventions that encourage people to make small but achievable changes in physical activity can have significant health benefits and may be easier to achieve and maintain,” said Wareham.

Copyright© 2015 Next Avenue, a division of Twin Cities Public Television, Inc.

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How does walking change body shape?

Walking is particularly effective for toning your legs and bum, she adds. “The muscles you use when walking include your calf muscles, thighs and buttocks, so these areas will become more toned and shapely.” However, walking may not tone all areas of the body.

There are few sensations more satisfactory than the buzz on your wrist when you have walked 10,000 steps. With over 25 million of us using Fitbits, walking is increasingly the basis of our fitness regime. Walking has innumerable benefits. According to research published today by the University of Michigan, a 20-30 minute stroll in nature can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol by about 10 per cent. But for some of us, walking is our only form of exercise. We only went to one of those 10 HIIT classes that we booked at the start of the year, and the journey past the gym is now our daily walk of shame. As walking is a moderate form of aerobic exercise, it helps you stay active without breaking a sweat (or needing to change into Lycra). However, this low intensity calls into question the power of the stride: is walking alone enough to change our body shape and make us look more toned? I spoke to some experts, and started walking for 45 minutes every other day, to find out.

Can walking change your body shape?

In some ways, walking can transform you because it is a form of exercise. “You’re burning calories,” explains Lucy Macdonald, physiotherapist at Octopus Clinic.

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