Walk less, walk faster
There is a wonderful saying that there is no such thing as healthy ageing without exercise. Equally true is the statement that you don’t stop exercising because you get old but you actually get old because you stop exercising.
Recent research suggests that increasing walking pace by just 14 steps per minute can significantly enhance physical function in older adults who are frail or at high risk for frailty. With approximately 24% of the global older population experiencing frailty—a condition associated with heightened risks of cognitive decline, falls, and hospitalizations—this study highlights an accessible intervention for better health.
The study, published in PLOS One, involved 102 participants aged 60 and above, residing in a retirement community. They were divided into two walking groups: a casual speed group and a high-intensity group. The findings indicate that those in the high-intensity group, who walked faster, showed improved physical functionality.
To facilitate this pace increase, researchers have developed a smartphone app called Walk Test, aiming to accurately measure walking speed and encourage older adults to boost their pace. While the app is not yet publicly released, plans for its availability depend on future funding.
The researchers emphasize the importance of mitigating fall risks and frailty for promoting healthy aging, as falls remain a leading cause of injury in this demographic.
Another study from the University of Sydney suggests that walking 7,000 steps daily can provide similar health benefits to the commonly recommended 10,000 steps. Published in The Lancet Public Health, this research analysed data from 57 studies conducted between 2014 and 2025 across over ten countries, including Australia, the U.S., the UK, and Japan.
Led by Professor Melody Ding, the study evaluates the impact of daily step counts on various health outcomes, including risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and depression. The findings indicate that aiming for 7,000 steps is a realistic and beneficial goal for individuals who find it challenging to meet the traditional 10,000-step benchmark.
Key insights from the study include that walking 7,000 steps a day reduces the risk of death by 47%—comparable to the benefits achieved at 10,000 steps. Additionally, dementia risk drops by 38% at 7,000 steps, with minimal further reduction at 10,000 steps. Even small increases in daily step count, such as moving from 2,000 to 4,000 steps, can yield significant health improvements.
Overall, this research emphasizes that increasing daily step counts, even gradually, is linked to substantial health benefits, thereby encouraging individuals to adopt more attainable fitness goals.
The message from these two studies is very clear. The 10,000 step goal is not always achievable but also probably not necessary for good health. The strong message is “walk less, but walk faster”. The real problem here is that only 25% of the population exercises at least at a moderate level for between 3-5 hours per week. This means that 75% of us are not experiencing the enormous benefits from this amount of exercise.
Not only does regular exercise help in controlling weight but also markedly reduces risk for all chronic illnesses. The only “drug” on the planet that is more powerful than exercise is happiness.