A Short Walk to a Long Life

Sierra Club founder John Muir loved to walk. He also lived to a pretty ripe old age. Apparently, the two things might not be entirely unrelated. Medical researchers have determined by analyzing data from the Framingham Heart Study just what kind of longevity benefit one can expect from a program of regular exercise like walking:

People who engaged in moderate activity -- the equivalent of walking for 30 minutes a day for five days a week -- lived about 1.3 to 1.5 years longer than those who were less active. Those who took on more intense exercise -- the equivalent of running half an hour a day five days every week -- extended their lives by about 3.5 to 3.7 years, the researchers found.

Anyone lucky enough to be able to walk to work can tell you what a pleasure it is. The extra years? That's just gravy. Work too far from home to walk? Try getting off the bus early or parking a couple of miles down the road. Still not sure? Try this quiz from America's Walking.