Academics say that adopting a higher speed improves health and that when a fast walker reaches middle age, his body will be 16 years younger than that of a slow walker. The scientists examined the chromosomes of each participant and, more specifically, the end of the chromosome called the telomere that protects the genetic material from damage. This small piece of DNA is an indication of one’s biological age as it shrinks over time. The larger a person’s telomere, the more “youthful” his body is. Each time a cell divides, these telomeres become smaller to the point where they become so small that the cell can no longer divide. For the first study of its kind, the team looked at data from the UK Biobank, a vast database containing information on the health of half a million people. They compared genetic data with self-reported walking speeds and measurements of movement intensity from portable activity tracking devices worn by participants. The researchers found that once a person reaches middle age, being a brisk walker, compared to a slow walk, is equivalent to being 16 years younger. About half of the study participants described themselves as walking steadily, 41.1 percent thought they had brisk walking and only 6.6 percent said they were crazy. “These findings support more intense routine movement, such as faster walking pace, as potentially important determinants. [biological age] and the overall state of human health, “the researchers wrote in a study published in Communications Biology. Dr Paddy Dempsey, lead author of the study at the University of Leicester, said: “Previous research on the correlations between gait rate, physical activity and telomere length has been limited by inconsistent findings and a lack of high quality data. “This research uses genetic data to provide stronger evidence for a causal link between faster gait and longer telomeres.” “[It] suggests measures such as the usually slower walking speed is a simple way to identify people who are at greater risk of chronic disease or unhealthy aging and that the intensity of activity can play an important role in optimizing interventions. “For example, in addition to increasing overall gait, those who are able could seek to increase the number of steps completed at a given time (eg by walking faster at the bus stop). However, this requires further investigation. “ Researchers at the University of Leicester have shown in the past that just 10 minutes of brisk walking a day is associated with longer life expectancy and that brisk walkers can live up to 20 years longer than slow wheelchairs. The study’s lead author, Professor Tom Gates, said: “While we have previously shown that gait is a very strong predictor of health status, we have not been able to confirm that adopting brisk walking actually promotes better health. “In this study we used information contained in the genetic profile of humans to show that the fastest walking rate is actually likely to lead to a younger biological age, as measured by telomeres.” The findings were published in the journal Communications Biology.
