The benefits of walking are surprising and ‘irrefutable’.
There were two loads to carry when Dr Anja Mizdrak did the Abel Tasman Coast Track: her pack, but also she was 20 weeks pregnant. “It was definitely much harder than it would have been otherwise, but we did manage!”
Mizdrak is a senior research fellow in the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago and is passionate about encouraging everyone to walk.
She says for expectant mothers, physical activity “decreases the risk of a whole load of pregnancy and delivery-related complications. It’s good for reducing the risk of preeclampsia, gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes.”
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations for physical activity are sometimes surprising: ‘Generally, the recommendations are pretty much the same for everyone: for healthy adults, those aged 65 years and above, and for people living with chronic conditions too.
‘There are very few people who wouldn’t benefit from doing more physical activity. Walking is great because you can walk right out your front door.’
The WHO recommends at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week, or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous intensity – aerobic physical activity.
Walking 3.3km a day meets these guidelines.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Health states that regular walking can help reduce the risk of a wide range of health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. Bone strength, heart rate and circulation can be improved, and the risk of osteoporosis reduced. And it can help you maintain a healthy weight.
The benefits are so vast that doctors have begun prescribing walking as part of a ‘Green Prescription’.
David Gerrard, emeritus professor of sport and exercise medicine at Otago University, says the benefits of regular walking are “irrefutable”.
“People who walk regularly will find this helps their ‘general constitution’. It keeps up circulation, and it’s not just the heart and lungs that are benefiting but also the digestive system, and it can help you sleep better as well.
“Walking is also generally something everybody can do. People can conduct their exercise at their own pace and in the company of others, which has a social benefit that’s also good for health. It’s a very easy, adaptable and acceptable form of exercise for everybody and anybody.”
Professor Gerrard says any walking is better than no walking, and having a goal like walking 1200km in 12 months, and being accountable, can help motivation.
“Don’t be shy about tracking your progress and setting goals. It can be fun to graph this and keep a record of what you’re achieving. “There’s no doubt that the benefits to your heart and lungs relate to your energy expenditure and the rate at which you’re exercising. If your pulse is getting up a little, to the point that you can feel the effort, then the benefits will accrue accordingly. But it’s not a straight line relationship – the rule of thumb is that you should be walking at a pace that allows you to still have a conversation. If you’re out of breath and can’t join the conversation, you’re probably pushing yourself a bit too hard.”
