Self-rated walking pace and all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality: individual participant pooled analysis of 50 225 walkers from 11 population British cohorts
Open Access
- 1 June 2018
- journal article
- research article
- Published by BMJ in British Journal of Sports Medicine
- Vol. 52 (12), 761-768
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098677
Abstract
Background/objectives Walking pace is associated with risk of premature mortality. However, whether this relationship is independent of total volume of physical activity and highest physical activity intensity remains unclear. We examined the associations between walking pace and cause-specific mortality, investigating the potential modifying effect of factors such as total physical activity volume, highest physical activity intensity, age, sex and body mass index (BMI). Methods Prospective pooled analysis of 11 population-based baseline surveys in England and Scotland between 1994 and2008 that were linked with mortality records. Multivariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models examined associations between walking pace (slow, average, brisk/fast) and all-cause, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Results 50225 walkers were entered in the core analyses. Among participants who did not experience an event in the first 2 years of follow-up (n=49731), walking at an average or brisk/fast pace was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause (20% (95% CI 12% to 28%) and 24% (95% CI 13% to 33%), respectively) and CVD mortality (24% (95% CI 9% to 36%) and 21% (95% CI 1% to 38%), respectively), compared with reporting walking at a slow pace. In stratified analyses, such associations were evident among those over 50 years, those not meeting the physical activity recommendations and those who did not undertake vigorous-intensity activity. There were no interactions by sex or BMI. No associations were seen between pace and cancer mortality. Conclusion Walking benefits health. Assuming causality, these analyses suggest that increasing walking pace could reduce risk for all-cause and CVD mortality. Walking pace could be emphasised in public health messages, especially in situations when increase in walking volume or frequency is less feasible.Keywords
This publication has 21 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Health Benefits of WalkingPublished by Emerald ,2017
- Association between active commuting and incident cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality: prospective cohort studyBMJ, 2017
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of reduction in all-cause mortality from walking and cycling and shape of dose response relationshipInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2014
- Speed and Duration of Walking and Other Leisure Time Physical Activity and the Risk of Heart Failure: A Prospective Cohort Study from the Copenhagen City Heart StudyPLOS ONE, 2014
- Domains of physical activity and all-cause mortality: systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of cohort studiesInternational Journal of Epidemiology, 2011
- Non-vigorous physical activity and all-cause mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studiesInternational Journal of Epidemiology, 2010
- Walking Pace, Leisure Time Physical Activity, and Resting Heart Rate in Relation to Disease-Specific Mortality in London: 40 Years Follow-Up of the Original Whitehall Study. An Update of Our Work with Professor Jerry N. Morris (1910–2009)Annals of Epidemiology, 2010
- Walking and primary prevention: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studiesBritish Journal of Sports Medicine, 2007
- Influence of Exercise, Walking, Cycling, and Overall Nonexercise Physical Activity on Mortality in Chinese WomenAmerican Journal of Epidemiology, 2007
- Walking Compared with Vigorous Exercise for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in WomenNew England Journal of Medicine, 2002