--- title: Two Minutes of Walking Each Hour Drastically Improves Health: Study description: Workerswho take an extra two minutes every hour to walk around the office, may live longer than those who do not canonical: https://time.com/3843005/health-study-excercise-healthy-living-walking/ author: Kevin McSpadden article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-05-01T09:37:20.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:04:15.020Z article:section: Health og:title: Two Minutes of Walking Each Hour Improves Health og:description: Water cooler gossip talk may actually help you live longer. og:url: https://time.com/3843005/health-study-excercise-healthy-living-walking/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7a8f2624b056b499/6987ede23c16394255455ce4/office-sitting-health.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Tiny Owl employees work on laptop computers as pair of sandals sit on the floor inside the company's head office in Mumbai, India, on Monday, March. 9, 2015. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Two Minutes of Walking Each Hour Improves Health twitter:description: Water cooler gossip talk may actually help you live longer. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7a8f2624b056b499/6987ede23c16394255455ce4/office-sitting-health.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Two Minutes of Walking Each Hour Drastically Improves Health, Study Says by [Kevin McSpadden](https://time.com/author/kevin-mcspadden/) ## Kevin McSpadden May 1, 2015 9:37 AM UTC  Tiny Owl employees work on laptop computers as pair of sandals sit on the floor inside the company's head office in Mumbai, India, on Monday, March. 9, 2015. Tiny Owl employees work on laptop computers as pair of sandals sit on the floor inside the company's head office in Mumbai, India, on Monday, March. 9, 2015.Dhiraj Singh—Bloomberg/Getty Images by [Kevin McSpadden](https://time.com/author/kevin-mcspadden/) ## Kevin McSpadden May 1, 2015 9:37 AM UTC Workers who take a deliberate two minutes out of every hour to [walk](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150430170715.htm) around the office may live longer than their colleagues who remain seated, a new study suggests. In recent years, the theory that long periods of sitting contribute to adverse health effects has gained significant backing, reports Science Daily. However, researchers from the University of Utah School of Medicine found that simply standing for a few minutes every hour did nothing to counteract the negative effects, but that engaging in “low intensity activities” — like walking — was 33% more likely to extend the lifespan of people who live a generally sedentary lifestyle. “It was fascinating to see the results because the current national focus is on moderate or vigorous activity,” said lead author Dr. Srinivasan Beddhu. “To see that light activity had an association with lower mortality is intriguing.” The study analyzed data from 2003-2004, when the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey attached an accelerometer to 3,243 participants and measured their physical activity. They were followed for three years to collect the data, during which 137 people died. “Exercise is great, but the reality is that the practical amount of vigorous exercise that can be achieved is limited. Our study suggests that even small changes can have a big impact,” said senior author Dr. Tom Greene. ### See the 10 Healthiest Cities to Live in America  Honolulu, Hawaii Best Place for Lifelong Health The heavenly climate helps, but the key to well-being here also includes enviable health care and a rich cultural tradition of looking out for one another. Colin Anderson—Blend Images/Corbis  San Francisco Bay Area, Calif. Best Place for Eating Right. The "farm to table" movement began here. The region's bounty of produce and year-round growing season make eating healthy—and local—a natural. Getty Images  Burlington, Vt. Best Place for Raising Healthy Kids This New England city offers great schools, excellent pediatric care, loads of culture and limitless options for healthy outdoor fun all year long. Matt Hogan/www.mphoganphoto.com  Silicon Valley, Calif. Best Place for Workplace Wellness With treadmill desks, meetings on bikes, time off for creativity, and gobs of organic food, tech titans are reinventing how to stay healthy on the job. Jim Wilson—The New York Times/Redux  Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. Best Place for Aging Well Yes, it can be cold. But with a plethora of stimulating activities and a robust web of support, the Twin Cities prove that growing old doesn't mean slowing down. Getty Images  Denver and Boulder, Colo. Best Place for Keeping Fit The urge to get outside and get moving is contagious in these Rocky Mountain cities, where physical challenge is built into the landscape. Celin Serbo—Aurora Photos/Corbis  Plano, Texas Best Place for Staying Safe Once a rural outpost, this booming, diverse city has kept its small-town vibe, thanks in part to a police force and community that knows how to work together. Misty Keasler—Redux for TIME  Portland, Ore. Best Place for a Healthy Environment Small, walkable neighborhoods, 300 miles of bike paths, and urban policies that foster active living and sustainability make for one clean, green city. Getty Images  Boston, Mass. Best Place for Health Care This history-rich city is home to some of the nation's most advanced medical institutions and policies that help ensure that quality care is available to all. K.C. Cohen—Courtesy of Boston Children's Hospital  Provo and Orem, Utah Best Place for Spiritual Well-Being A stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop and a tight-knit population that lives its faith contribute not only to this region's serenity but also to lower rates of disease. 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