Just 15 Minutes Brisk Walk A Day Can Boost Youth Health, Study Finds

Research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center revealed that brisk walking for at least 15 minutes a day provides health benefits comparable to recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-August 12nd, 2025) If you don’t have time for daily workouts or gym visits, don’t worry — staying healthy requires only a few minutes of brisk walking throughout the day.

This finding comes from a medical study conducted in the United States.

Research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center revealed that brisk walking for at least 15 minutes a day provides health benefits comparable to the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week.

Health organizations typically advise people to engage in at least 150 minutes of exercise or physical activity weekly to maintain good health.

However, the study suggests that if committing to 150 minutes a week is difficult, walking briskly for just 15 minutes daily can still significantly improve health.

The research included nearly 85,000 participants from 2002 to 2009. Through questionnaires, data on their exercise habits, average duration of physical activity, walking speed, and health status were collected.

In 2023, the participants were surveyed again, and the data was compared.

Researchers noted that while it is known that brisk walking is more beneficial than slow walking, there has been limited research on how much brisk walking is needed for optimal health benefits.

The study found that individuals who walk briskly for at least 15 minutes daily reduce their risk of premature death by about 20 percent. In contrast, those who walk slowly for up to three hours a day only reduce this risk by around 4 percent.

According to the researchers, walking supports health by helping control body weight, lowering blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of cancer, alleviating joint pain, and strengthening the immune system.

A recent study also highlighted that daily walking reduces the risk of cognitive decline or dementia, even benefiting those genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers emphasized that both slow and brisk walking are beneficial, but their findings clearly show that just 15 minutes of brisk walking daily offers substantial health advantages.

They added that brisk walking helps prevent diseases such as heart failure, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), and type 2 diabetes.

But how can one tell if they are walking briskly?

The UK’s National Health Service defines brisk walking as walking fast enough to be able to talk but not sing.

The findings of this study were published in the *American Journal of Preventive Medicine.