Brisk walking reduces the risk of heart disease more effect-ively than running when the energy expenditure of both activities is balanced out.

Researchers compared data from two studies of 33,060 runners and 15,045 walkers. Walkers experienced greater health benefits.

The effects on participants, who were aged 18 to 80, were observed over six years.

Running reduced the risk of heart disease by 4.5 per cent while walking reduced it by 9.3 per cent. Walking also had a stronger impact on heart disease risk factors.

The risk of first-time high blood pressure was reduced by 4.2 per cent by running and 7.2 per cent by walking.

First-time high cholesterol risk was lowered by 4.3 per cent by running and seven per cent by walking.

The risk of first-time diabetes was reduced by about 12 per cent by both walking and running.

“Walking and running provide an ideal test of the health benefits of moderate-intensity walking and vigorous-intensity running because they involve the same muscle groups and the same activities performed at different intensities,” said study leader Paul Williams of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, US.