Scientists from Australia and Denmark published in the journals JAMA Internal Medicine and JAMA Neurology the results of studies that showed that 10,000 steps a day is the optimal indicator that helps reduce the risk of a variety of diseases and premature death. At the same time, a faster pace of walking brings even more benefits, according to medicalXpress.
These results come after the largest study to date, in which scientists analyzed the relationship between the number of steps and health. The participants in the experiment were 78,500 adults in the UK: from 2013 to 2015 they wore trackers, and seven years later, researchers studied their health status. Here are some conclusions.
For years, scientists have debated how many steps we should take to stay healthy. Most studies give numbers between 7,000 and 10,000 steps. It is known that at higher rates, the return gradually levels off or reaches a plateau. That is, the first 5000 steps bring much more benefit than the next 5000 and so on. There is no one size fits all, but 10,000 steps is a reasonable goal for most. However, the faster walking, the more useful it is: the intensity of walking is positively associated with all outcomes from dementia and heart disease to cancer and premature death.