the Hawthorne effect<\/a>, a phenomenon in which people alter their behavior because they know they\u2019re being watched.<\/p>\nDr. Parveen Garg, also with Keck Medicine of USC, said he doesn\u2019t see intense interval walking as a standout recommendation among physicians. The study, he said, was small and meant to be thought-provoking and encourage further research, not to support sweeping conclusions.<\/p>\n
He supports any activity that gets people moving but cautions against over-hyping Japanese walking benefits or ease.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of onerous,\u201d he said, explaining that remembering to switch gears every three minutes, walking fast and slow and navigating technology isn\u2019t easy for everyone.<\/p>\n
He said it\u2019s possible to get similar benefits by walking continuously at a vigorous pace for a shorter time. But there isn\u2019t enough evidence to confirm that.<\/p>\n
Experts agree that vigorous activity, even in short spurts, is beneficial. David Raichlen, professor of biological sciences and anthropology at USC, said short intervals of increased effort \u2014 even just walking briskly for a few minutes \u2014 can yield meaningful health effects.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s something to the idea that small amounts of vigorous activity are really beneficial,\u201d Raichlen said.<\/p>\n
Raichlen also noted that calling high-intensity interval walking \u201cJapanese walking\u201d simply because of the study\u2019s origin is problematic.<\/p>\n
Yasuyuki Suzuki, a cardiac imaging specialist from Tokyo, is aware of the trend and the associated study. He said that while there is some new interest in the topic, it is not trending in Japan the way it appears to be in other parts of the world. He also said he does not feel any discomfort or concern about it being referred to as \u201cJapanese walking.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for whether this method is better than 10,000 steps or continuous walking, Raichlen is hesitant to say \u2014 the research just isn\u2019t there yet.<\/p>\n
Higher walking cadence has been linked to lower dementia risk, Raichlen said. Also, walking in general has been tied to lower mortality, reduced cancer risk and improved cardiovascular health.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do think there\u2019s a lot of good from encouraging people to think about walking as exercise,\u201d Raichlen said. \u201cFinding ways to sort of make walking work better for you is, you know, not a bad thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, the simplicity and catchy name may be why it took off.<\/p>\n
\u201cPretty much anybody in Los Angeles can go outside and walk around,\u201d said Sarah T. Roberts, a UCLA associate professor and internet culture expert.<\/p>\n
Roberts sees the trend as a reflection of broader social forces, including medical mistrust and the rising cost of health care and fitness. \u201cWe\u2019re in a moment of economic uncertainty,\u201d she said. \u201cFor most people, a $300-a-month membership at Equinox is not a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n
That, she said, makes low-barrier trends like \u201cJapanese walking\u201d especially appealing. But Roberts cautioned against the risks of turning to TikTok and other social media platforms for medical advice.<\/p>\n
\u201cStuff doesn\u2019t happen in a vacuum,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s a bigger social and political context to all of these things, and the backdrop to these kinds of trends is not great.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roberts encourages viewers to critically evaluate where their health advice comes from and who profits from it. \u201cPeople with big followings often have something to sell,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re not really acting in the public interest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, Roberts said, with every health trend, social media companies are profiting. Although some platforms have tried to crack down on medical misinformation, Roberts said such content moderation has fallen out of favor because it affects revenue.<\/p>\n
\u201cDevaluing expertise means devaluing the collective knowledge that people have in certain domains,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cIf I try to fix my own car, my car is probably not going to run very well. Now apply that to my body.\u201d<\/p>\n
Teo said fitness trends should be approached with discernment. He\u2019s not claiming to replace traditional walking \u2014 just to offer a stepping stone for cardio.<\/p>\n
And if a viral name is what it takes to get people walking, he\u2019s OK with that. \u201cAs long as you\u2019re not misleading people,\u201d he said, \u201cand there\u2019s legitimate substance behind it, it\u2019s a great way to spin things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Teo, Raichlen, Garg and Roberts all agree on one thing: Talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise routine, especially one that reaches vigorous intensity.<\/p>\n