The world’s healthiest countries have only one thing in common

We were all kind of wondering what the secret to being healthy is, and are super grateful to celebrity trainer and nutritionist Harley Pasternak for gallivanting around the world to find some answers, which he documented in his 2010 book The Five Factor Diet.

Through all the countries he visited and cultures he investigated, Pasternak found one common denominator when it came to healthy societies and it’s (drumroll please) walking. Yup, walking.

“The only overlapping feature in most of these healthy countries around the world is that they all walk way more than the average American,” Pasternak told The Huffington Post.

“So really, regardless of what you’re eating, if someone’s walking four miles more than you each day, they’re going to be a lot thinner and live a lot longer than you.”

Oh man, walking, buddy, we’ve been treating you like this whatever activity, just a utilitarian way to get from Point A to Point B, but now we see, you are the golden secret to health. Oh walking, we’ll never underestimate you again.

Walking was the one common thing all healthy cultures had in common, but there were other commonalities that North Americans (not a particularly healthy culture, damn you processed sugar and sedentary lifestyle!) could definitely learn from. North Americans tend to eat bigger portions than other countries, and we also scarf down our food instead of letting mealtime be a moderately-paced event.

To learn more about the healthiest lifestyles Pasternack discovered in his international quest for health, check out this Huffington Post piece that gives a handy run-down of the geographical diets.

But remember, the one thing all the healthiest cultures have in common is walking, so lace up your sneakers, and get to it, friend, you got four miles and the day isn’t getting any younger.

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