A recent study has found that speed walking is the most beneficial pace for heart health. Specifically, walking for extended periods at a speed of four miles per hour or more could decrease the risk of heartbeat irregularities by nearly half.
Heart conditions such as atrial fibrillation, tachycardia or bradycardia could all be mitigated with just a brisk walk. The research, published in the journal Heart, delved into the optimal walking pace for maximising heart health.
A slow pace was categorised as under three miles per hour, a steady walking pace was between three to four miles per hour and a brisk pace was anything above four miles per hour.
The study analysed data from over 80,000 individuals in the UK Biobank who had their walking speeds and durations recorded, and it identified the four miles per hour or faster pace as the most beneficial for heart health.
This was also the most common walking pace, with around 41% of the group reporting this as their average speed.
Generally, the study also discovered that fast walkers tended to lead healthier lifestyles, have smaller waistlines and reside in less deprived areas.
Walking at approximately four miles per hour could reduce your risk of heart rhythm abnormalities by up to 43% compared to slow walking.
Spending more time walking at this pace was also associated with an additional 27% reduced risk of these conditions.
Women under 60 and those without multiple long-term pre-existing conditions could see the most benefit from a specific exercise routine.
The study in question acknowledged its limitations, noting a reliance on self-reported data and an unvaried participant demographic; 55% of subjects were women, almost all were white, and the mean age was 55.
Speaking to News Medical, the authors of the research explained: “Walking faster decreased the risk of obesity and inflammation, which, in turn, reduced the risk of arrhythmia. This finding is biologically plausible because cumulative epidemiological studies have shown that walking pace is inversely associated with metabolic factors, such as obesity, HbA1c [fasting glucose], diabetes, and [high blood pressure] which, in turn, are associated with the risk of arrhythmias.”
Heart rhythm disorders, including atrial fibrillation which has seen cases double in the past three decades impacting close to 60 million people globally, are linked to a heightened chance of cardiovascular diseases, cardiac death, and other disabilities.