Can walking slow down aging?

Walking can help slow the aging of the body, according to researchers from the University of Leicester.

The findings of their new study are described in an article published in the journal Communications Biology.

The authors of the study analyzed data from 400,000 British people and found that a fast walking pace is associated with longer telomeres. Telomeres are regions at the tips of chromosomes that protect them from damage. As the cell divides, telomeres become shorter - until they are so short that the cell can no longer divide. This is called cellular aging.

The results of this study confirm earlier speculation by experts that there is a link between walking pace and a genetic marker of biological aging. According to scientists' calculations, walking quickly throughout life will reduce biological aging by up to 16 years.