According to previous reports, 10,000 steps a day can lower the risk of health problems. A recent study by the University of Sydney supports the first statement.
Walking Faster Aside From Making 10,000 Steps Offers More Benefits
The scientists from Sydney (University), in cooperation with the University of Southern Denmark, found that lowered risk of dementia, cancer, health disease, and death are associated with achieving 10,000 steps daily.
Moreover, a faster stepping pace like a power walk, showed benefits above and beyond the number of steps achieved.
The study was published in JAMA Internal Medicine and JAMA Neurology
In a statement published in the University of Sydney's portal, the co-lead author Doctor Matthew Ahmadi said that the take-home message of the research is that health benefits could be gained for an individual who walks 10,000 steps a day but aims to walk faster.
The study monitored 78,500 adults with wearable trackers, making the research the largest to objectively track step count relating to health outcomes.
The step count can be easily understood and widely used by the general public to track their activity levels with help from fitness trackers and apps, according to the University of Sydney's Professor of Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Population Health, Emmanuel Stamatakis. He also emphasized that "rarely do people think about the pace of their steps."
The Study Procedure
For less active persons, as low as 3,800 steps a day can cut the risk of dementia by 25 percent, according to co-author and associate professor of the University of Southern Denmark and senior researcher in health at the University of Cadiz, Mister Borja del Pozo Cruz.
The participants of the study wore a wrist accelerometer to measure physical activity over a week (a minimum of 3 days that includes weekends and monitoring sleep periods)
The team, however, notes that the study is observational or they cannot show direct cause and effect.
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Study Key Points
Every 2,000 steps lowered the risks of premature death incrementally between 8-11 percent, up to approximately 10,000 steps a day.
Similar associations have been seen for cardiovascular disease and cancer development.
A higher number of steps daily was associated with a lower risk of all-cause dementia.
Making 9,800 steps was the optimal dose for a lower risk of dementia by 50 percent. However, the risk was reduced by 25 percent at as low as 3,800 steps daily.
Stepping pace showed beneficial associations for all outcomes (dementia, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and death) over and above total daily steps.
Furthermore, Doctor Sanjith Saseedharan, consultant and head of critical care, SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim-A Associate, pointed out that a small limitation of this trial is the widespread age limits of the participants (40 to 79 years old), which can be followed for seven years.
Doctor Saseedharan said that it is unlikely the participants would have reached an age limit where dementia usually sets in, as even the number of participants for each age group is not mentioned.
How Daily Walking Can Help
In an earlier interaction with the Indian Express, lifestyle, educator, and nutritionist Karishma Chawla said the optimal cardio activity helps as a cardiovascular exercise that balances the blood pressure, lowers bad and increases good cholesterol. It also helps reduce anxiety with the release of endorphins.
Cardio also helps blood circulation, boosting lung health and balancing the glucose levels that help to lower body fat percentage keeping the metabolism high.
Doctor Matthew Ahmadi explained that in further studies, they will use the tracker to shed more light on the health benefits of walking associated with intense levels of daily stepping.
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