Walking: The Underrated Best Exercise Recommended by WHO

As health awareness grows, more people recognize exercise as a great way to protect our well-being.

Yet many believe exercise requires dedicated time and a specific location — such as playing ball games or lifting weights at the gym. Burdened by this mindset, many feel mentally exhausted before they even start moving.

Here we share an activity suitable for all ages with zero barriers: walking.

No special venue or gear required. You can start anytime you want.

Walking is an underrated exercise. Simply walking can reduce mortality risk!

The World Health Organization recommends walking as “the best form of exercise for health preservation.”

Whether you walk for a long continuous stretch or take short walking breaks, walking lowers mortality risk. Risk falls further as your daily step count rises.

People who walk more than 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 and 5,000 steps per day see a 31%, 37%, 40% and 46% reduction in mortality risk respectively

You may find these statistics hard to visualize. Next, let’s break down the tangible physical benefits of walking with concrete figures.

Walking is “nature’s medicine.” Slow walking and brisk walking offer different benefits!

1. 30 minutes of casual walking Approximately 3,000–4,000 steps

Protects cardiovascular health: Unlike running, walking won’t cause rapid breathing or an elevated heart rate that strains your heart and lungs. It gently and steadily builds cardiorespiratory fitness.

Studies show walking normally five days a week cuts the risk of coronary heart disease by 19%.

Prevents osteoporosis: It strengthens leg muscles and joints to support body weight, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures by 40%.

PS: Walking outdoors in daylight lets your body make vitamin D from sunlight, further strengthening bones.

2. 1 hour of casual walking Approximately 5,000–8,000 steps

Reduces colorectal cancer risk: According to a long-term Harvard study of 70,000 people, walking for 60 minutes after meals daily, or accumulating 4 hours of walking weekly, halves colorectal cancer risk.

Eases anxiety: One hour of walking in green spaces or parks lowers activation of the amygdala, the brain region linked to stress, helping prevent anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions.

3. 30 minutes of brisk walking Approximately 4,000–5,000 steps

Improves mild fatty liver: 30 minutes of brisk walking burns 110–130 kcal, equivalent to 12–15 grams of fat. It speeds up metabolism of fat accumulated in the liver and may reverse fatty liver disease.

Lowers diabetes risk: Brisk walking stimulates insulin secretion and regulates blood sugar. Brisk walking 3 days a week reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25%, while walking 5 days weekly cuts risk by 42%.

After learning all these benefits of walking, you may feel eager to rack up thousands or even ten thousand steps.

To avoid injuries while walking for fitness, two preparations are essential.

Two key preparations before walking to protect your joints from harm!

Maintain proper walking posture Many people walk with poor form. This not only drains energy but also damages joints. When walking:

Body posture: Keep your head up, chest out and core engaged. Make loose fists, keep your shoulders level, and swing arms gently forward and backward. Do not walk with your hands clasped behind your back.

Foot strike: Land on your heel first, then roll smoothly through the midfoot to your toes. This heel → midfoot → toe rolling motion reduces pressure on knees and ankles.

Wear suitable footwear For walking, especially brisk walking, choose jogging or walking shoes. They cushion impact and protect knee joints. Avoid worn-out shoes with flattened heels and no elasticity for long walks.

Final reminder: You do not need extremely high step counts every day. 6,000 steps meet the target, and walking over 10,000 steps brings no extra health benefits.