'Faster walkers' had significantly lower risk of diabetes, hypertension: Study

If your walking speed is faster than your peers, you may be at a lower risk of metabolic conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular ones, a recent study has found.

In nearly 25,000 participants having obesity, a high waist circumference, or both, researchers from Japan’s Doshisha University measured their ‘subjective walking speed’ through a single question in a health questionnaire — “Is your walking speed faster than that of your age and sex?” The results, published in the journal Scientific Reports, showed that individuals who identified as ‘faster walkers’ had significantly lower risks of diabetes — about 30 per cent lower — and smaller, but notable reductions, in risks of hypertension and dyslipidemia (abnormal lipid levels in blood).

The researchers attributed the findings to the relationship between walking speed and overall health.

Faster walkers often display better cardiorespiratory fitness, which is in turn related to lower levels of inflammation and oxidative stress — two key drivers of metabolic diseases, they said. In the study group, 8,578 individuals had obesity (measured by body mass index), 9,626 had a high waist circumference, and 6,742 had both.

“This study clarified that even individuals with obesity, who are at higher risk for metabolic diseases, have lower odds of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia if they report a fast subjective walking speed,” lead researcher Kojiro Ishii, a professor in the faculty of health and sports science at Doshisha University, said.

The authors explained that ‘subjective walking speed’ is self-reported and can be readily incorporated into standard examinations, unlike ‘objective walking speed’, which needs resources, time, and space to assess.

They added that the simplicity and accessibility of the ‘subjective walking speed’ measure makes it ideal for use in clinical and public health settings.

“This questionnaire (used in the study) is included in a standardised protocol by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan,” Ishii said.

“This allowed for a quick and easy assessment without requiring specialized equipment.” “Promoting a faster walking pace may be a helpful individual behaviour to help prevent metabolic diseases, particularly in individuals with obesity,” Ishii said.

Even though the study could not establish cause-and-effect links, the findings were in line with those from previous studies on walking pace and health outcomes, the researchers said.

The study also showed how measuring one’s subjective walking speed could help identify individuals at a high risk of and prevent metabolic disorders related to obesity, especially when included in routine health examinations, the team said.

As it turns out, a simple question like ‘Is your walking speed faster than your peers?’ could provide life-saving insights, they said.