Have you decided to improve your health and fitness in the new year?.

Then for you there is good news.

Researchers from the UK found that regular group walking is an excellent tool not only to maintain the form, but also to reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and depression.

The results of the work of the staff of the University of East Anglia (UEA) were published in the latest issue of the "British Journal of Sports Medicine".

Recommendations for physical activity for Americans in 2008, published by the US Department of Health and Human Services, provide for all adults a norm of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. This activity includes fast walking.

The report of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the USA in 2013 showed that half of the adult Americans do not comply with these recommendations.

A team of researchers led by Professor Andy Jones and Sarah Hanson of the Norwich School of Medicine at the UEA argues that their findings will be extremely useful for health professionals and local authorities that can help form groups for athletic walking.

The use of walking for health is repeatedly confirmed by scientific research. For example, in September 2014, scientists reported that a 5-minute walk every hour during the day can reverse the disturbances caused by a sedentary lifestyle. And more recently in MNT it was informed, that only 20 minutes of fast walking each day can reduce risk of premature death.

In their new study, Hanson and Jones decided to determine the effect of group walking on health. They explain that, despite the growing popularity of such groups in America and Europe, science still knows very little about the benefits of group walking.

Regular group walking helps to join a healthy lifestyle.

Scientists analyzed data from 42 studies, which included a total of 1,843 participants from 14 countries. Some participants suffered from type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, fibromyalgia, Parkinson's disease and other serious chronic diseases.

First of all, scientists paid attention to the state of the cardiovascular system of participants at the beginning and end of the studies. In most works, regular group walking involved walking several times a week to 1 hour in the open air as part of small groups of volunteers.

The results of the analysis showed that participants who joined such exercises eventually achieved a statistically significant reduction in blood pressure, body fat percentage, body mass index, heart rate at rest, total cholesterol. All of these 5 factors are associated with the risk of multiple cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke.

In addition, lovers of group walking demonstrate an improvement in pulmonary function and general physical condition, and also suffer less from depression.

About 75% of participants attended group walking regularly. Scientists believe that it is much easier to get used to this occupation than to exercises in the hall.

Hanson writes: "Our study revealed that group walking is one of the most useful and easiest ways to improve overall health. This activity will easily help many hypodynamic people become more active and healthy. People who regularly walk in groups can share exercises, experience of beauty and health, they feel less isolated and isolated. Regular group walking helps to join a healthy lifestyle ".

Jackie Hayhoe (Jackie Hayhoe), manager of the group walking program Walking for Health from the UK, believes that the findings of scientists should further raise public interest in such activities.

"Walking really works. Every day we see the positive impact of simple activity on the thousands of people who participate in Walking for Health. We are glad to see scientific confirmation of the effectiveness of our classes. Walking along with other components of a healthy lifestyle will bring significant benefits ".

Hanson says that the next step in their work will be to determine the best ways to attract people to groups of sports walking.

medbe. en.