Walking faster or longer; which is more beneficial for weight loss?

If there is one simple activity that can elevate your daily routine, it's walking. There are many perks of walking for both physical and mental health, but how fast or far you go can decide how much you benefit out of it.
The World Health Organization and American Heart Association suggest at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week which breaks down to 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week.
There is no dearth of physical activities and exercises that you can choose from, but walking is among the most inexpensive and convenient ones. The benefits of walking can be enjoyed across age groups and even by people who have certain health conditions that restrict them from doing other form of exercises. From reverse walking, brisk walking, ruck-walking, this form of exercise appeals to people of all generations.

Walking fast or brisk walking is one of the moderate intensity aerobic activities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define moderate intensity aerobic activity as anything that makes a person sweat and raises their heart rate to the extent that they can talk but not sing.

Here's how it can help you:
Brisk walking can significantly lower the risk of heart disease by increasing circulation and reducing blood pressure, and cholesterol. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that both brisk walking and vigorous exercise are associated with substantial and similar reductions in the incidence of coronary events.
A study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that walking at a brisk pace can help manage weight more effectively. Brisk walking can burn more calories than slower walking, and when performed regularly, it boosts metabolism, helping to shed excess weight. For individuals with limited time, brisk walking provides an effective way to get in the recommended 30 minutes of exercise a day.

Walking at a rapid pace is also good for your muscular health. It can strengthen your lower-body muscles apart from enhancing overall stamina.
Walking can prevent loss of bone mass for people with osteoporosis. It strengthens muscles, improves cardiovascular fitness, supports weight control, and enhances metabolism. Regular brisk walking boosts endurance, posture, and joint flexibility while also benefiting bone strength. Beyond physical health, walking offers psychological and social benefits, though these aspects are less studied.
A study published in British Journal of Sports Medicine says there may be a link between walking at a self-reported average or brisk pace and a reduced risk of death from all causes or from cardiovascular disease compared with walking at a slow pace.

Walking for longer durations like 1-2 hours can boost health in longer run taking care of factors like cholesterol and lung function.
Here are some benefits:
Walking for longer distances can strengthen your heart muscle and improve blood circulation. When the heart rate improves, it can bring more oxygen and nutrients to your organs.
Walking also increases your lungs' ability to take in oxygen and improve lung fitness. When you are physically active, your heart and lungs work harder to supply the additional oxygen your muscles demand
Staying physically active can improve heart and lung function.

Walking aids in release of happy hormones endorphin, dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin which can make you feel good about life and curb depressive tendencies.
Walking for longer can help increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, or the "good" cholesterol. Researchers from Duke University Medical Center found that exercise improved the number and size of the particles carrying cholesterol through the body. People who exercised had larger, fluffier particles that were less likely to clog arteries.
Studies have shown that people with diabetes who walked at least two hours a week were less likely to die of heart disease than those who remained sedentary. Those who exercised three to four hours a week reduced their risk even more.
A study published in the journal Obesity found that when combined with a calorie-restricted diet, walking 10,000 steps a day was helpful for weight loss, and it was especially the case when people did 3,500 of those steps at a higher intensity.
For weight loss, apart from movement it's also important to add the right foods to your diet. One may not be able to lose weight at times due to hormonal issues or certain medications. It's important to check with your healthcare expert what's interrupting your weight loss efforts.
The activity of 'power walking', which involves moving at a faster pace than normal walking, while using your arms to help you move forward, improves heart health and lowers blood pressure, improves joint health, reduces stress and anxiety, and improves mood, burns calories and helps you tone up your bottom and thighs, helps develop and keep bones strong, and boosts your immune system.
To do so, walk at a pace of 4 to 5.5 miles per hour (mph). Bend your arms and swing them gently as you walk and keep at least one foot on the ground at all times. Focus on the area 5 to 6 meters in front of you, maintain good posture, pull your belly button in tight to support your spine.
According to Author Manuscript, compared to walking time, walking distance in women was associated with 1.7-fold greater reductions in the odds for unhealthy weight, obesity, and abdominal obesity. Researchers say walking for distance might offer better estimations of exercise and calorie expenditure. The intensity of the exercise on the other hand could positively affect overall health. For sustained weight loss, it's important to walk longer distances. To get overall benefit from walking, try to speed up your pace.
Walking longer distances can lead to more significant reductions in unhealthy weight and obesity, especially for women. Increasing walking intensity can further enhance overall health benefits. For effective weight management, focusing on both distance and pace is key to achieving sustained results.
Different walking styles can offer myriad benefits. Walking backwards is a brain exercise, while slow walking is considered good for burning fat, brisk walking can help achieve weight loss targets sooner, while ruck walking is another way to speed up your calorie burning.