As you age, walking can keep the pounds away, according to new research.

In one study, scientists at the University of Pittsburgh found that overweight middle-aged people who walked briskly for 30 to 60 minutes a day lost 7 pounds in a year and a half, while similar adults who did not exercise consistently gained seven pounds in that time.

In another study, University of North Carolina researchers did an analysis of data on young adults, ages 18 to 30, over a 15-year period and found those who walked four or more hours a week were the least likely to gain weight as they aged.

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