title: Walking for Fitness.
abstract: In brief: Walking is an increasingly popular way to exercise-and for good reason, this panel of six researchers contends. They suggest that walking is an almost ideal activity in light of recent findings about the health benefits of lifelong exercise. It can be used to improve aerobic capacity and lose weight, it is companionable and relatively easy, it causes few injuries, it may help prevent osteoporosis, and it can provide a bridge to more intense exercise. While walking burns fewer calories than running, its energy cost can be increased by carrying weights on the extremities and swinging the arms.