Baseline characteristics of the sample by walking pace. Walkers aged 30 years and over with no diagnosed cardiovascular disease or cancer at baseline
| Walking pace | P value* | ||||
| Slow pace | Average pace | Fairly brisk pace | Fast pace | ||
| Age, mean (SD) (years) | 57.8 | 51.1 | 47.7 | 44.6 | <0.001 |
| Sex (% female) | 61.0 | 58.5 | 52.2 | 40.5 | <0.001 |
| Body mass index, mean (SD) (kg/m2) | 28.6 (5.7) | 27.3 (4.7) | 26.1 (4.1) | 25.5 (3.9) | <0.001 |
| Long-standing illness† (%) | 64.6 | 41.9 | 35.4 | 33.0 | <0.001 |
| Smoking (% current) | 23.9 | 24.0 | 21.5 | 27.5 | <0.001 |
| Alcohol frequency (% ≥5 times/week)‡ | 18.7 | 18.7 | 22.4 | 24.5 | <0.001 |
| Psychological distress (% with General Health Questionnaire score ≥4)§ | 20.1 | 11.9 | 11.6 | 12.2 | <0.001 |
| Age finished education (% finished age 19+) | 12.9 | 18.1 | 26.3 | 29.0 | <0.001 |
| Meeting the physical activity recommendations¶ | 8.9 | 17.2 | 47.5 | 52.4 | <0.001 |
| Highest PA intensity reached (%) | |||||
| No physical activity | 11.7 | 7.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | <0.001 |
| Light intensity only | 63.4 | 52.5 | 14.4 | 14.8 | |
| Reached moderate intensity | 11.8 | 15.3 | 42.9 | 37.2 | |
| Reached vigorous intensity | 13.1 | 24.3 | 37.7 | 43.0 | |
| MET-hours of physical activity per week, median (SE) | 8.0 (0.38) | 17.0 (0.20) | 23.1 (0.31) | 32.0 (0.80) | <0.001 |
| Number of days walked per week, median (SE) | 2.0 (0.04) | 2.5 (0.02) | 2.5 (0.02) | 3.0 (0.05) | <0.001 |
| MET-hours of walking per week (any pace), median (SE) | 2.3.5 (0.12) | 4.9 (0.08) | 6.1 (0.12) | 9.4 (0.39) | <0.001 |
The Health Survey for England and Scottish Health Survey (n=50 225).
*P value calculated using Kruskal-Wallis test for continuous variables and likelihood ratio Χ2 test for categorical variables.
†Dichotomous variable derived from responses to a series of questions (yes/no) on illness within eight listed body systems (eg, nervous system, digestive system, heart and circulatory system, and so on). At least one illness required to have long-standing illness.
‡Derived from the question, ‘On how many days in the last 7 days did you have an alcoholic drink?’
§General Health Questionnaire comprises 12 questions related to psychological health (eg, concentration, feeling depressed, and so on); the categories were 0, 1–3 and ≥4.
¶At least 150 min of moderate-intensity activity or 75 min/week of vigorous-intensity activity or equivalent combinations of moderate and vigorous activities.
MET, metabolic equivalent; PA, physical activity.