Doctors Say Walking For 11 Minutes Per Day Can Help You Live Longer

Now that we’re getting into the third month of the year, it’s probably safe to say that many of you have let your fitness-related New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside … I know I have.

But if spending hours at the gym isn’t your thing, studies show that just 11 minutes of activity each day can really help improve your overall health.

Here’s what to do

According to researchers at Cambridge University, spending a total of 75 minutes per week engaging in a brisk walk can help reduce the risk of dying early by a significant 23%.

Specifically, this type of cardiovascular exercise is linked to reducing the risks of stroke, heart failure, and even certain cancers.

And this wasn’t just some study based on a small sample of participants. The researchers looked at nearly 200 peer-reviewed papers that included results from a total of more than 30 million individuals.

Here’s a closer look at the potential benefits:

• The risk of heart disease decreases by 17%.
• Cancer risks overall drop by 7%.
• Certain types of cancers saw a risk reduction of up to 26%.

No need to overdo it

While an 11-minute daily walk was shown to reduce the risk of early death, the study didn’t show that the benefit continued to increase if participants got more than that. While more intense workouts can help reduce body fat and build muscle, if you’re looking for the benefits outlined above, 75 minutes per week is the sweet spot.

As study author Dr. Leandro Garcia explained, people shouldn’t feel pressure to do a specific type of exercise.

“Sometimes, replacing some habits is all that is needed,” he said, advising: “Doing activities that you enjoy and that are easy to include in your weekly routine is an excellent way to become more active.”

Chris Agee March 2nd, 2023

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