[ad_1]
The fitness goal of 10,000 steps per day is widely promoted, but a new study suggests that recording even 7,000 steps per day can go a long way in improving health.
Middle-aged people who walked at least 7,000 steps per day on average were about 50 to 70% less likely to die from any cause over the next decade compared to those who took fewer steps.
A lower risk of premature death was observed for women and men, black and white, who took 7,000 or more steps, according to results published this month in the JAMA Network Open.
“We’ve seen that you can reap a lot of benefits from 7,000 steps,” said study author Amanda Paluch, assistant professor of kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
The study involved 2,110 adults between the ages of 38 and 50 who, between 2005 and 2006, wore a device called an accelerometer for about a week to track their steps. During the follow-up period, which lasted on average nearly 11 years, 72 of the participants died, most often from cancer or heart disease. By analyzing the data, the researchers controlled for body mass index, smoking, and other factors that might have affected the results.
The results showed that people seemed to gain more health benefits the more steps they took, with the greatest statistically significant reduction in the risk of death occurring between 7,000 and 10,000 steps, Paluch said. After that, the benefits stabilized. There was no relationship between the intensity or the speed of the steps and the mortality.
“So really what we’re seeing is there’s a reduction in the risk of incremental mortality up to a point,” Paluch said. “So for those who take let’s say 4,000 steps, reaching 5,000 steps might have an advantage and then progressing.”
Paluch said the new findings are consistent with other research also suggesting significant health benefits below the oft-cited 10,000-step mark – which was never actually an evidence-based magic number but rather a marketing tool for a Japanese pedometer released in the 1960s.
This is a range. This is not the case, how much can I do?
Dr William Kraus, professor of medicine at Duke University, was a member of the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee that developed the current exercise guidelines for Americans, which are based on on minutes of activity per week. He said he would like to see guidelines that include recommended daily steps.
“I’m all about the steps because it’s easy to measure and people understand it,” he said.
Helps in weight loss
When the 2018 guidelines were developed, the advisory committee did not have enough data to endorse an actual range of step counts, Kraus said, but as more studies like the news emerge, it could allow public health officials to take specific steps. count recommendations in the future.
For now, Kraus has said he recommends patients aim for 7,000 to 13,000 steps per day to get all the benefits exercise can offer, including protection against diseases like cancer and diabetes and l ‘helps in weight loss.
“I want to stress that this is a range. I don’t, how little can I do? ” he said. “People should really strive for more than less. “
Kraus said a range of 7,000 to 13,000 steps per day matches federal guidelines, which say that to achieve substantial health benefits, adults should get at least 150 to 300 minutes per week of physical activity d moderate intensity, or 75 to 150 minutes per week. week of vigorous physical activity, or an equivalent combination.
For the average adult, taking 2,000 steps is about a mile, depending on their stride. Estimates show that people can take up to 5,000 steps per day for their basic activities of daily living.
People who sit a lot and therefore don’t do a lot of steps in everyday life probably have to work harder to get enough activity, Kraus said.
How accurate are the step counters?
In an editorial accompanying the study, Nicole Spartano, assistant professor of medicine research at Boston University, noted that the new study used a research-grade tracking device different from the step counters that many people use on their feet. smart watches, pedometers or smartphone apps.
She told NBC News that as more people use step counters to promote better health, she would like to see more research to assess the accuracy of various consumer devices and determine if they work too. well in different groups of people, including the elderly. and obese people, who may have a different gait or stride length.
Meanwhile, Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, chairman of Northwestern University’s department of preventive medicine and president of the American Heart Association, said the new findings should encourage people who might find the prospect of 10,000 steps intimidating.
“The fact that fewer steps than some people were aiming for is still good, is very good news,” he said. “I think that tells us that, you know, each of us, if we don’t do nothing, we have to do something. If we are doing something, we should be doing more. And we should try to move more every day. And I think that’s really the take home message here.
To follow NBC HEALTH to Twitter & Facebook.
[ad_2]
Source link