Walking or Running, Which is Better for You?

Walking or running doesn’t require a lot of preparation, athletic ability, exercise equipment, or a personal trainer. But the message from health care professionals is loud and clear – we all need to move our bodies more.

Both walking and running can deliver similar health benefits.

• support weight loss
• diabetes management and prevention efforts
• reduce risk for heart disease, stroke and metabolic syndrome
• lower blood pressure
• cancer prevention (especially breast and colon cancers)
• reduce the risk of cancer recurrence during survivorship

Like all types of cardiovascular exercise, walking or running consistently can help you live longer with improved quality of life.

Committing to a walking/running routine can help:

• support weight loss
• diabetes management and prevention efforts
• reduce risk for heart disease, stroke and metabolic syndrome
• lower blood pressure
• cancer prevention (especially breast and colon cancers)
• reduce the risk of cancer recurrence during survivorship

Consistent cardiovascular exercise can also help reduce stress, serve as a free social activity with family and friends, and encourage you to go outside and into nature more often.

“If you’re living a sedentary life and you’re not exercising at all — you need to move more,” says Thomas Best, M.D., Ph.D., a sports medicine specialist with the University of Miami Sports Medicine Institute. “The risk of inactivity is worse than the risk of smoking. You have every reason to exercise.”

The exercise guidelines for adults free of significant chronic disease include 150 to 300 minutes (2.5 to 5 hours) per week of moderate exercise, which includes aerobic exercises like brisk walking (more strenuous than strolling). This recommendation is in addition to two or more days of weekly strength/resistance training.

Who should try running?

If you’re only lifting weights or doing low-intensity yoga, and are neglecting cardiovascular exercise, you’re not getting the full health benefits of exercise. This is especially true for those with a healthy body mass index.

“Most people who don’t have significant chronic diseases are safe to start running,” Dr. Best says. “If you run for 30 minutes at a reasonable pace (four to five miles per hour), you’re going to get more cardiovascular benefit than walking for the same amount of time.”

When you exercise, you lower your risks for all kinds of ailments. “But if you over-exercise, you put your body at greater risk for severe dehydration and heart disease. Even ultra-endurance athletes appear to have a greater risk for heart attacks due to the chronic stress placed on their hearts,” Dr. Best says.

Adults in high-stress jobs are also at greater risk for cardiovascular issues that may lead to a heart attack. If this describes you, even if you’re at a healthy weight, running could be demanding on your heart. See your doctor to rule out heart disease or high blood pressure before you start a running routine. Walking regularly, on the other hand, may help you lower your stress level.

Who should walk more?

Almost every able-bodied person can safely start a walking program.

Obese people can benefit the most from walking, compared to running. “Obese patients typically have health or cardiovascular risk factors. If you have heart disease or diabetes, or are at risk, you should start with a visit to your doctor for possible testing,” says Dr. Best. A stress test can reveal your cardiovascular fitness level and help you and your doctor determine if you’re better suited to start walking or running to lose weight.

“For every pound of body weight, you put seven pounds of force on your knees while running,” Dr. Best says. “But, if you don’t load your joints and ligaments, you won’t know your body’s potential, and you won’t be using your joints for what they’re designed to do. Unfortunately, we don’t know the optimal amount of force you can safely put on your joints.”

Those with joint conditions like arthritis and older adults might favor walking at a reasonable pace, which won’t worsen these conditions. Research shows that walking for 30 minutes a day at least five days each week has proven “anti-aging” benefits for seniors. A recent review of studies concludes that “aiming for 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day could substantially reduce the risk of a range of age-related diseases.”

Have you tried walking-running intervals?

Interval training is a more intensive workout than walking alone — with greater health benefits. “There’s reasonable evidence that high-intensity workouts can even improve blood glucose control,” Dr. Best says.

First, walk to warm up. Then, burst into a short run (about one minute) to elevate your heartrate before returning to walking for a couple minutes. Repeat the sequence for 30 minutes.

Note that interval training is more challenging if you’re overweight or have arthritis, and may put excessive strain on your heart or joints.

Exercise is medicine.

“Remember that some exercise is much better than none,” Dr. Best says. “Don’t focus on the time or pace. If nothing else, be motivated to extend your life.”

Dana Kantrowitz is a contributing writer for UMiami Health News.

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Last reviewed in April 2025 by Thomas Best, M.D., Ph.D., a sports medicine specialist with the University of Miami Sports Medicine Institute.

Originally published on: July 12, 2019

Tags: cardio training, cardiovascular, daily steps, Dr. Thomas Best, interval running, running, Walking