Cardiac arrhythmias, called arrhythmias, are a significant factor in cardiovascular disease, disability, and death. There are several types of arrhythmias, including tachycardia, bradycardia, and atrial fibrillation (atrial fibrillation).

Using the large UK Biobank database, experts from the Institute of Health and Well-being at the University of Glasgow selected more than 420,000 participants (average age - 55 years) without any signs of any type of arrhythmia, who provided information about walking speed through questionnaires. Data on walking duration and pace was available to almost 82,000 people who used activity trackers.

The researchers determined the pace of walking as follows:

Slow: approximately 4.8 km/h.

Stable (average): 4.8–6.4 km/h.

Fast: more than 6.4 km/h.

A total of 6.5% of the participants practiced slow walking, slightly more than 50% - stable and about 40% - fast.

During the 13 years of follow-up, almost 1 in 10 participants had abnormal heart rhythms. Further analysis showed that with a fast pace of walking, the risk of developing any arrhythmia was 43% lower compared with a slow pace, and specifically atrial fibrillation was 46% lower. (For comparison, a steady pace was associated with a 35% lower risk of developing arrhythmias).

Those who walked at a fast pace also had lower levels of inflammation in the body, which was reflected in lower levels of C-reactive protein.

The protective effect of regular brisk walking was most pronounced among the following categories of participants: women under the age of 60, with high blood pressure, with two or more chronic diseases, and without obesity.

"It has been known that physical activity reduces the risk of abnormal heart rhythms and other cardiovascular diseases. Slow walking is better for health than a sedentary lifestyle, but a new study has shown that a faster pace of walking provides additional protection for the heart," the authors said.