‘Gay walking speed’ may have unexpected health benefits, experts say
‘Gay walking speed’ is a long-held belief or stereotype (stock image via Getty Images)
It’s a long held belief or stereotype that gay men walk faster than straight men – and whether or not that’s true, experts say it could come with some health benefits.
While we’re all recommended to hit 10,000 steps a day to maintain good health, growing research suggests that the speed at which someone walks could be more important than that golden number.
WalkFit‘s sports medicine doctor Tetiana Tereshchenko says: “Many people believe they need to hit 10,000 steps every day to improve their health, but evidence suggests benefits begin much earlier than that.
“Research shows meaningful improvements can be seen between roughly 4,400 and 7,500 daily steps, after which the benefit plateaus.
“Brisk walking places greater demand on the heart, lungs, and muscles than slower walking. Even short periods of faster-paced movement can help support cardiovascular fitness and overall health.”
A previous study of more than 400,000 adults in the UK also found that a faster walking pace could lead to a biological age of 16 years younger by midlife.
Ludgina Dieujuste, a walking coach at WalkFit, says: “While the phrase [“gay speed”] is humorous, it reflects something we do see in health research: that walking pace can play an important role in the overall benefits of movement.
“People often focus entirely on step count, but introducing even 10 to 15 minutes of brisk walking into your day, at around 3-4mph, can make a meaningful difference, regardless of sexual orientation.”
Dieujuste adds: “Brisk walking can be particularly impactful for midlife adults (40 to 69 years old). This is a life stage where stress levels, early metabolic slowdown, and the rest of poorer overall health outcomes often increase, while overall activity levels tend to decline.”
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