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Walking Can Improve Your Health

The Surgeon General reports that regular physical activity improves health in the following ways:

Reduces the risk of dying prematurely from heart disease and other conditions;
Reduces the risk of developing diabetes;
Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure;
Reduces blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure;
Reduces the risk of developing colon and breast cancer;
Helps to maintain a healthy weight;
Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints;
Helps older adults to become stronger and better able to move about without falling;
Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety; and
Promotes psychological well-being.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical activity and health: a report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 1996.