Health Benefits of Walking
70% of adults do not take enough exercise to benefit their health, but cycling and walking are now playing an important role in creating a healthier nation.
Information on the County Council's Guided Walks Programme.
Walk to work arrive healthy and alert!
Regular, brisk cycling or walking can improve confidence, stamina, energy, weight control and life expectancy. It can also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, strokes, diabetes, high blood pressure, bowel cancer and osteoporosis.
Walking and cycling are ideal forms of exercise because:
- It can be incorporated as part of your daily travel pattern (e.g. walking to work or the shops).
- It contributes to your recommended amount of daily exercise. Adults should aim to participate in 30 minutes of daily exercise, five days of the week.
- You can start slowly and build up gently.
- Walking is free! It's surprising how much a car costs to run. If you are able to make short journeys on foot you will save money. To work out how much your car costs to run each year, download the
car cost calculator.pdf (2 pages, 305kb). NB. you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this information.
- Walking to work will contribute to reducing local and global pollution levels.
- Walking can help to improve your health and fitness, therefore reducing the risk of ill health later in life.
- Did you know that parents drive approximately 600 miles each year taking their children to school? You could walk to school (or part of the journey to school) and benefit from a little exercise and quality time with your family. Find out more from the Walk To School Campaigns pages
Information on the County Council's Guided Walks Programme.
Find out how your community can promote a healthier lifestyle in County Durham.
