Study shows people in Scotland are walking more often compared to more than a decade ago

The number of people reporting that they walk at least once a month at a brisk or fast pace has increased by around 7% to 47% since 2012, a study shows. On average, people who walk at a brisk or fast pace have increased the amount of time they walk each week from around two hours to around three hours.

This means many are meeting the UK Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines for physical activity through walking alone, researchers say.

Researchers used questionnaire responses and statistical techniques to evaluate walking trends among adults in Scotland, highlighting differences by economic status, sex and age. Despite the increase in walking overall, some inequalities still exist, with less affluent older women more likely to report they do minimal walking.

Researchers say the findings shed light on the impact of policies to increase walking levels in Scotland, such as the National Walking Strategy, launched in 2014.

The strategy aims to promote a culture of walking and to develop better walking environments through supporting easy, convenient and independent mobility for everyone.

Walking habits

A team at the University of Edinburgh assessed the walking habits of more than 40,000 people aged 16 and above, using data from the Scottish Health Survey questionnaire taken between 2012 and 2021. No data was included from 2020, when the strictest lockdown restrictions were in place.

Findings showed an increase in walking in Scotland between 2012 and 2021, which was consistent among almost all socio-economic, sex and age groups. The research is published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.

Researchers say the increase may be due to the relatively accessible nature of walking in terms of cost and lack of specialist equipment needed compared with other sports and exercise activities.

Inequalities between age groups were most pronounced among the least affluent—particularly less well-off women over 65, who were the least likely to report any walking.

“Our results suggest that Scotland is walking in the right direction with the data supporting decades of policy and promotion efforts. The policies do not appear to be exacerbating existing inequalities, but more concentrated efforts will be necessary to narrow them,” says Dr. Tessa Strain.