More than half (55%) of adults 50-plus engage in one or two walking activities in a typical week, while most (86%) walk for 10 minutes or more, and nearly half (47%) walk for at least 30 minutes, according to a survey report supported by AARP
Most respondents agree walking is beneficial for improving physical health (91%), fitness (83%), mental health (75%), and brain health (59%).
Adults aged 50 and older were asked about their engagement in seven different walking activities: Walking at work, walking a pet, brisk walking for exercise, hiking, leisurely walking/strolling, recreation, and walking to and from places they need to go. The survey also revealed that 87% of older adults engage in one of these activities daily:
- Leisure walking/strolling (45%)
- To get to and from places (38%)
- Brisk walking for exercise (32%)
- At work (29%)
- Recreational walking (23%)
- Walking a pet (23%)
- Hiking (8%)
More information is available in the AARP report here and for information on age-friendly walking, see resources from our partners at WalkBoston here.