Whether you’re still taking part in hot girl walks, trying the new silent walking trend or simply enjoy a good wander now and then, there’s no doubt that this is a form of exercise that’s great for our health.
Even just 30 minutes a day can boost our overall health, increase muscle fat and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, according to the experts at Better Health.
However, new research has found that picking up the pace on your daily walks can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Faster walking speed of 4 km+/hour linked to significantly lower type 2 diabetes risk
The British Medical Journal (BMJ) has revealed that walking at a speed of 4 km+ an hour is linked to a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes risk in a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Additionally, the faster the speed above 4 km/hour, the lower the risk appears to be with every 1km increase in speed associated with a 9% reduction in risk.
Currently, the number of adults with type 2 diabetes is 537 million but this is expected to rise to 783 million by 2045. However, these new findings indicate that a simple, accessible, inexpensive exercise could help to tackle this growing epidemic.
The scientists add that “fairly brisk walking” speed of 5-6 km an hour was associated with a 24% lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared with casual strolling.
The scientists hope that this research encourages people to not only walk more often but to try to walk a little faster while they do so. The team concluded with, ”While current strategies to increase total walking time are beneficial, it may also be reasonable to encourage people to walk at faster speeds to further increase the health benefits of walking.”
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes
According to the NHS, many people have type 2 diabetes without even realising because the symptoms do not necessarily make you feel unwell.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:
- peeing more than usual, particularly at night
- feeling thirsty all the time
- feeling very tired
- losing weight without trying to
- itching around your penis or vagina, or repeatedly getting thrush
- cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
- blurred vision
- are over 40 (or 25 for south Asian people)
Additionally, you’re more at risk of type 2 diabetes if you:
- have a close relative with diabetes (such as a parent, brother or sister)
- are overweight or obese
- are of Asian, African-Caribbean or black African origin (even if you were born in the UK)