Brisk Walking May Help Improve Cardiovascular Health In Older Adults: Study

Walking faster or for longer distances could help promote cardiovascular health in older adults, a new study suggests.

According to a large community-based study of older Americans conducted by a team of Tufts University researchers, modest physical activity is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, even for those over the age of 75, reported Examiner.com.

For the purpose of the study, the research team, led by senior author Dariush Mozaffarian, noted participants' exercise habits including walking distance and walking pace, as well as other leisure physical activities. The study comprised of 4,207 American men and women with an average age of 73 years who did not suffer from cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the 10 yearlong study.

The research team found that those seniors who walked faster than 3 miles per hour (4.8 km/h)had a 50 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 53 percent lower risk of stroke than those that walked at pace of less than 2 miles per hour (3.2 km/h), reported NDTV.

Those who walked an average of seven blocks per day or more had a 36 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and 54 percent lower risk of cardio-vascular disease (CVD), compared to those who walked up to five blocks per week.

Elders those engaged in leisure activities such as lawn-mowing, gardening, swimming, biking and hiking, were also found to have a lower risk of CHD, stroke and total CVD, as compared to those who did not engage in leisure-time activities.

The findings hold good for both men and women and as well as for those aged above 75 years.

"It appears that whether one increases the total distance or the pace of walking, CVD risk is lowered," said first author Luisa Soares-Miranda. "Fortunately, walking is an activity that many older adults can enjoy."

The study was recently published in the journal Circulation.