A recent study suggests that those who walk at a slower pace may face an increased risk of heart-related death.

Walking is a popular form of exercise, as evidenced by the widespread use of pedometers and apps designed to track the recommended 10,000 daily steps. However, the speed at which we walk is often overlooked. A new study reveals that slow walkers could have a higher risk of dying from heart-related issues when compared to those who walk briskly.

Researchers at the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre have explored the connection between walking speed (a measure of cardiovascular health) and handgrip strength (a reflection of muscle strength) in relation to mortality risk. They focused on all-cause mortality, which includes death due to heart disease, cancer, or any other cause.

For data, the researchers turned to the UK Biobank, a health database that collects information from thousands of middle-aged adults for chronic disease research. Between 2006 and 2010, they studied 420,707 individuals from England, Scotland, and Wales, all of whom were initially free of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The average age of participants was 56, and they classified their usual walking pace as slow, steady/average, or brisk. The researchers also measured handgrip strength using a dynamometer (a device that gauges mechanical force) and recorded various factors like body mass index (BMI), employment, and medication use. Over six years, 8,598 participants passed away, with 1,654 deaths attributed to cardiovascular disease and 4,850 due to cancer.

Handgrip strength wasn't a reliable predictor of mortality risk for the entire group, and the connection between walking pace and cancer-related deaths was weak. However, regardless of age, smoking status, or gender, slower walking speeds were consistently associated with higher risks of both all-cause and cardiovascular deaths. Notably, BMI played a crucial role: slow walkers with low BMI faced more than double the risk of death from any cause or heart disease compared to fast walkers with low BMI.

While the researchers acknowledge limitations in the study, such as reliance on self-reporting and the possible inclusion of participants with unrecorded heart conditions, the findings remain significant. Given that heart disease is the world’s No. 1 cause of death, whether you're a morning wanderer or an evening stroller, it might be worth considering walking faster.