Long Walks Lower Stroke Risk

Walking is a popular form of physical activity, one that can be conducted by  older adults who live independently. Barbara J. Jefferis, from the University College London (United Kingdom), and colleagues studied 3,435 healthy men, ages 60 to 80 years, who were enrolled in the British Regional Heart Study. Following the subjects for an average of 10.9 years, the investigators tracked cardiovascular blood markers including C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). The team observed that men who walked 8 to 14 hours per week were at one-third lower risk of stroke, compared to men who walked no more than three hours a week or did not walk at all. The stroke risk was about two-thirds lower for men who walked more than 22 hours per week. The association was found to be independent of walking pace and activity level. Reporting that: “Time spent walking was associated with reduced risk of onset of stroke in dose-response fashion,” the study authors submit that: "Walking could form an important part of stroke-prevention strategies in older people.”