A new study has found that people who walk fast live up to 20 years longer than those who walk slow.

While many people may say they enjoy a leisurely walk as it provides enough time to stop and smell the roses, it appears that those who prefer a more challenging speed may actually have healthier minds and bodies.

While gait has been linked to not only musculoskeletal mechanisms but also the central nervous system by medical professionals before, according to a fresh new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, how fast you walk could be an indicator of both cognitive and physical health.

What did the study find?

Researchers analysed the gait-speed of hundreds of middle-aged participants and found that there was an average difference of 16 IQ points between the slowest and fastest walkers in the 45 years old age bracket, and that those who walked slower were found to show signs of accelerated ageing. Their lungs, teeth and immune systems reportedly showed more signs of age than those who walk fast.

The participants also underwent MRI scans of their brains, and it was discovered that slow walkers aged 45 years had lower brain volume.

What does it all mean?

The researchers behind the study now hypothesise that slow gait could be an early indicator of dementia

Source: Better Homes & Gardens

See also Fast walkers live longer than slow walkers, study says

“The main takeaway message is that stepping up the pace may be a good hack to make walking more health-enhancing,” first author Emmanuel Stamatakis, a professor of physical activity, lifestyle and population health at the University of Sydney School of Medicine in Australia