Walking just 15 minutes a day could cut death risk by nearly 20 percent, a new study finds.
A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine points to a surprisingly simple intervention for improving health outcomes among underserved populations: walking faster.
According to the research, which evaluated nearly 80,000 people over more than 16 years, walking at a brisk pace for just 15 minutes daily correlated with a 19 percent reduction in mortality. The benefits extended beyond general mortality, with notable reductions in deaths from cardiovascular disease — the leading cause of death in the United States, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The study pulled from the Southern Community Cohort Study, a large-scale project designed to explore the health disparities among low-income and racially diverse populations across the southeastern United States. Encompassing 12 states and over 85,000 initial participants, the cohort skews heavily Black (66 percent) and low-income, offering a rare look at health patterns in communities often underrepresented in medical research.
“This is one of the few studies to quantify the effect of daily walking on mortality in a low-income and predominantly Black U.S. population,” said senior author Wei Zheng, MD, PhD, MPH, the Anne Potter Wilson Professor of Medicine and director of the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center. “By demonstrating the benefits of fast walking — which is a low-cost and largely accessible activity — we provide direct evidence to inform targeted public health interventions and policies to improve health outcomes.”
Participants self-reported their typical walking behaviors through a baseline questionnaire, distinguishing between “walking slowly (such as moving around, walking at work, walking the dog or engaging in light exercise)” and “walking fast (such as climbing stairs, brisk walking, or exercising).” Mortality data was tracked via the National Death Index through the end of 2022. Of the 79,856 people included in the final analysis, more than 26,800 had died by the end of the study period.
The link between walking pace and longevity remained significant even after accounting for other lifestyle habits, such as additional physical activity. Fast walking of just 15 minutes per day had nearly the same impact on mortality reduction as walking slowly for over three hours. While the study relied on self-reported data — a common limitation in longitudinal lifestyle studies — the extended follow-up and large sample size helped ensure the accuracy of its findings.
“Brisk walking offers a convenient, accessible and low-impact activity that individuals of all ages and fitness levels can use to improve general health and cardiovascular health specifically,” Zheng said.
The findings bolster a growing body of research that connects walking pace with healthspan. In one 2021 meta-analysis of 50,225 walkers, those with a brisk pace — defined at approximately 3.8 miles per hour — were associated with a life expectancy increase of up to 20 years compared to slower walkers, regardless of total distance walked [source: Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2021].
In the context of healthcare inequality, the Vanderbilt-led study may prove pivotal. Many exercise recommendations still center around access — gym memberships, expensive equipment, or even time — that remain out of reach for many Americans. By contrast, walking fast requires no financial investment and can be seamlessly integrated into daily routines.
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