What happens to your body if you walk 22 minutes a day?

A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that 22 minutes of moderate activity, such as brisk or even slow walking, could be enough to offset the negative health effects of prolonged sitting, and reduce the risk of death that comes from a sedentary lifestyle.

The study examined data on 11,989 people, over the age of 50, from Norway, Sweden, and the United States, half of whom were women, and who wore devices to track their physical activities.

A lazy lifestyle is among the main causes of ill health around the world, as studies indicate that people who sit for long periods of time watching TV or working on the computer are more likely to die early, according to The Guardian.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States recommends only 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, or just over 21 minutes per day.

Walking is an easy way to do moderate-intensity exercise, and research shows how beneficial walking is, such as reducing the risk of diabetes or improving a person's mental health.

Another international study conducted by researchers from Iowa State University, the Radford University Medical Center in the Netherlands, and the Universities of Granada and Castilla-La Mancha in Spain found that walking 8,000 steps a day reduces the risk of premature death.

The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, showed that positive results appeared when people completed 7,000 steps, indicating that walking quickly is more beneficial to health than walking slowly.

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