WHY YOU NEED TO WALK

Fitness trends come and go, but this exercise never goes out of style. And for good reason.

- ALISON ROBERTS SHANNON LAVERY

Research on the incredible health benefits of walking just keeps coming.

Scientists at Cambridge University have reported that just 20 minutes of walking each day can cut your risk of premature death by one-third.

A brisk half-hour daily walk can reduce your risk of myriad conditions, including cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, dementia, and glaucoma.

New studies even found specific benefits for people with diabetes: A 15-minute walk after meals can help control your blood sugar.

For people with diabetes, walking should be a daily prescription, says exercise physiologist Carol Garber, Ph.D., director of the applied physiology program at New York's Columbia University.

"It's essential that you exercise daily to keep your blood sugars under control,” Garber says.

“Walking also helps maintain bone density which is particularly important since diabetes has been linked to low bone mass."

Get ready.

A brand-new exercise walker needs just one thing: the right shoes. They don't need to be expensive or super-fancy, but a reliable pair of good, sturdy, well-fitting athletic walking shoes is essential.

The way those shoes fit is particularly important if you have diabetes because it's crucial to avoid blisters.

Your best bet, Garber says, is to visit an athletic shoe store and ask for guidance.

"Choose one that will let you try them on and walk around so that you stuck with shoes that don't fit don't get you well."

Though it's not necessary, adding a fitness tracker —or even a simple pedometer — to your walking arsenal might motivate you.

"Each one has different advantages, and it's important to know that they may not all be perfectly accurate,” Garber says. “But they can help push you to go farther or faster.”

Take your first steps.