If your go-to form of exercise is a daily walk, you're in good company. Walking is America's most popular workout by a landslide. It's accessible, low-stress, and genuinely good for you, and I'm one of the many people who swear by the mental and physical benefits a daily jaunt can provide. There's a reason it shows up in every longevity conversation and Blue Zones breakdown.
But new research suggests that for most walkers, this beloved habit isn't translating into the fitness goals we might be after.
A study published in PLOS ONE analyzed CDC survey data from nearly 400,000 adults to map which leisure-time activities Americans prefer and whether those activities actually help people meet federal physical activity guidelines.
They found that walkers had the highest rate of failing to meet either guideline of any activity group. The exercises most associated with actually meeting the bar were running, weightlifting, and conditioning and people living in urban areas were more likely to meet the activity recommendations than those in rural areas.
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