A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on October 28, 2025 has found that the pace and duration of your walks are just as important as the number of steps you take.
While many fitness enthusiasts aim for the standard 10,000 steps a day, researchers now say that how you walk may be more crucial than how much you walk.
The study shows that people who walk for at least 15 minutes continuously enjoy better heart health and lower mortality rates compared to those who take short, interrupted walks.
Longer, Continuous Walks Show Greater Benefits
According to the research, participants who walked for 15 minutes or more at a stretch had only 0.8 per cent mortality and a 4.39 per cent chance of heart disease.
In contrast, those who walked in short bursts of five minutes or less had a 4.36 per cent early death rate and a 13.03 per cent likelihood of developing heart disease.
Experts explained that longer, uninterrupted walks help maintain a steady heart rate, improve blood circulation, and boost overall cardiovascular fitness.
The findings highlight that the quality of movement, not just quantity, plays a vital role in achieving better health outcomes.
The researchers concluded that even those who walk fewer than 5,000 steps daily can still benefit significantly if they walk briskly for longer periods without frequent stops.
This means your daily walk shouldn’t resemble a slow stroll but rather a steady, active pace lasting at least 10–15 minutes. Such walking patterns can strengthen the heart, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of chronic illnesses linked to inactivity.
Health experts now urge people to focus on consistency and intensity, instead of obsessing over the 10,000-step benchmark. As the study shows, even modest daily movement, if done with purpose and rhythm, can lead to long-term heart benefits.
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