A study highlights the health benefits of walking among an underrepresented group of low-income and Black individuals.
Walking regularly is known to offer numerous health benefits, but most studies on the topic have centered around White individuals from middle- to high-income backgrounds. A new analysis is now helping to fill that gap. Drawing on data from the Southern Community Cohort Study, which included 79,856 participants, primarily low-income and Black residents from 12 southeastern U.S. states, researchers have confirmed that walking can significantly improve health outcomes, especially when done at a faster pace.
Published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (Elsevier), the study highlights the value of walking briskly as a powerful and accessible way to enhance overall health, particularly for communities that have often been underrepresented in public health research.
Lead investigator Wei Zheng, MD, PhD, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says, “While the health benefits of daily walking are well-established, limited research has investigated effects of factors such as walking pace on mortality, particularly in low-income and Black/African-American populations. Our research has shown that fast walking as little as 15 minutes a day was associated with a nearly 20% reduction in total mortality, while a smaller reduction in mortality was found in association with more than three hours of daily slow walking. This benefit remained strong even after accounting for other lifestyle factors and was consistent across various sensitivity analyses.”
Measuring Movement: Slow vs. Fast
Participants reported the average amount of time per day (minutes) they typically spend “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).” Information regarding vital status and cause of death was obtained by linking the cohort to the National Death Index.
The protective effect of fast walking extended to all causes of death but was most pronounced for cardiovascular diseases. Importantly, the benefits of fast walking were independent of overall leisure-time physical activity levels (LTPA). Even for those who are already engaged in slow walking or some LTPA, adding more fast walking further reduced mortality.
According to the study, the benefits of fast walking related to cardiovascular health are:
- Boosts heart efficiency: As an aerobic exercise, fast walking improves cardiac output, increases oxygen delivery, and enhances the efficiency of the heart’s pumping action, leading to better overall cardiovascular health.
- Manages cardiovascular risk factors: Regular fast walking helps control body weight and composition, reducing obesity and related risks like hypertension and dyslipidemia.
- Highly accessible: Fast walking is a convenient, low-impact activity suitable for individuals of all ages and fitness levels.
Addressing Health Inequities
Low-income populations often face economic constraints and are more likely to reside in impoverished, highly polluted communities with limited access to safe walking spaces. Additionally, these populations tend to have a higher prevalence of lifestyle behaviors that may increase disease risk and mortality, such as a lower quality diet, cigarette smoking, and heavy alcohol consumption.
At the same time, there are other challenges for individuals with low income such as lack of access to health insurance or healthcare that may also increase mortality. These factors collectively contribute to an increased mortality among low-income individuals and may potentially elucidate the racial disparities observed in longevity. By demonstrating the benefits of fast walking in this study, this research provides direct evidence to inform targeted interventions and policies to improve health equity.
Lead author of the article Lili Liu, MPH, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, School of Medicine, and Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, concludes, “Public health campaigns and community-based programs can emphasize the importance and availability of fast walking to improve health outcomes, providing resources and support to facilitate increased fast walking within all communities. Furthermore, the findings of the reduced mortality associated with fast walking pace were supported by previous studies conducted in middle- and upper-middle-income populations. Individuals should strive to incorporate more intense physical activity into their routines, such as brisk walking or other forms of aerobic exercise.”
Reference: “Daily walking and mortality in racially and socioeconomically diverse US adults” by Lili Liu, Guochong Jia, Martha J. Shrubsole, Wanqing Wen, Shaneda Warren Andersen, Staci L. Sudenga and Wei Zheng, 29 July 2025, American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2025.107738
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