Regular Walking Routine Helps Prevent Death, Disability in Kidney Patients

A little bit of exercise goes a long way. Keeping physically fit can help prevent certain health issues pertaining to the heart, mind and body, overall. Yet a recent study conducted by researchers from China Medical University Hospital in Taichung examines the physical activity of walking and its benefit for kidney patients. In fact, researchers found that a regular walking routine can help reduce these patients' risk of disability and even death.

"A minimal amount of walking -- just once a week for less than 30 minutes -- appears to be beneficial, but more frequent and longer walking may provide a more beneficial effect," said study co-author Dr. Che-Yi Chou of the university, via WebMD.

For the study, researchers monitored the health of 6,363 people from Taiwan who were part of the chronic kidney disease (CKD) program of the university between June 2003 and May 2013. All participants had an average age of 70 and had been diagnosed with stages three to five CKD. They were also tracked for an average of 1.3 years.

As 21 percent of the participants cited walking as their most common form of exercise, researchers found that those who walked more were less likely to need dialysis or a kidney implant.

Participants who spent one to two days a week walking typically saw a 17 percent decreased risk for death than non-walkers. And when patients increased their walking to seven times a week, they saw their death risk plummet even farther by 59 percent.

However, researchers noted that patients who were walkers were not necessarily healthier than those who were not. For instance, both groups contained the same risk of developing other health complications.

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the article "Associaiton Walking with Survival and Renal Replacement Therapy among Patients with CKD Stages 3-5," via the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.