You can reduce your risk of dying by 31% by walking this amount per week

Walk this way.

A recent study published in the journal of the Canadian Medical Association found that exercise can reduce your risk for over 30 chronic conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, respiratory diseases, depression and certain types of cancer.

But if doing hiit sounds a little more intense for you, there is good news: you do not need to pump the iron in order to reap the benefits of age.

Researchers found that only 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week can reduce your risk of mortality of all causes by 31% compared to any physical activity.

Some examples of moderate physical activity include gardening, hall dancing, yoga, lawn mowing, water aerobics and a quick walk – “fast” moving at least 2.5 miles per hour.

A good way to measure whether or not what you are doing is qualified is to perform the “conversation test”.

“The conversation test is essentially that you are unable to sing, but you are still able to speak and finish sentences and have a full conversation – this is moderate aerobic physical activity,” said Dr. Phillip Yun, a primary sporting medicine physician at Uchicago Medicine, told Huffington Post.

The findings match previous research showing that engaging in moderate forms of exercise for only 2.5 hours a week can reduce your chances of dying prematurely.

A 2022 analysis of over 100,000 participants over 30 years from the American Heart Association found that individuals who completed 150-300 minutes of recommended moderate physical activity per week had a 20-21% lower risk of comprehensive mortality.

Yun warned to try to squeeze all 150 minutes in one day, saying that 30 minutes is a good daily average for most people.

If you are young to exercise, he advises to take small steps starting with a few 10-minute walks a day.

“I generally recommend that most people start with walking because there is a low entry barrier, and I think it’s something you can often do yourself or with people,” he said.

Walking can also help improve your balance and coordination – which are important skills for an age group that can really suffer from taking a stroke.

“A drop for someone who is young and healthy may not be a big job, but for an elderly adult who may have less muscle strength or fragile bones,” Yun said. “It can be extremely harmful and lead to surgery, rehabilitation and a host of street issues.”