Walking 8,000 steps a day reduces the risk of premature death
Walking 8,000 steps a day reduces the risk of premature death
In an international study led by the University of Granada, it was reached – for the first time – the optimal number of steps that every person should walk daily. So he can get the most physical and health benefits. This number was estimated at 8,000 steps, and this study also showed that the pace followed in walking these steps directly affects the extent of benefit.
8000 or 10000 steps?
The prevailing belief in the past was that the average person must walk 10,000 steps – daily – to maintain his health, a belief that spread among the Japanese in the sixties of the twentieth century, without any scientific basis. Researchers have now shown that if we focus closely on the risks of premature death from cardiovascular disease, most of the benefits of walking appear around 7,000 steps.
The study conducted by the University of Granada (UGR) provides the first scientific evidence on the number of steps the average person should walk – daily – to significantly reduce the risk of premature death, as the study estimated this at about 8,000 steps daily. Considering the average human step length – 76 centimeters for men and 67 centimeters for women – a distance of 8,000 steps is equivalent to walking about 6.4 kilometers per day.
This important study is to determine the optimal number of steps that every person should take; To get the most benefit – published last October in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, one of the world’s leading cardiology journals; It is the first study of its kind to determine the number of steps, as well as the effect of walking pace on the extent of benefit.
Joint international cooperation
The study was a collaboration between researchers from the Netherlands at Radboud University Medical Center, Spain atUniversity of Granada and the University of Castile and Mendes, and America at Iowa State University. The study’s lead author, Francisco Ortega, a professor at the Department of Physical Education and Sports at the University of Granada, explained: “It was common among people to believe that it was necessary to reach about 10,000 steps – daily – to obtain the desired health benefits, a belief that came out of Japan in the 1960s, without any scientific basis.”
This misconception has led many companies to promote step counting products under the premise of their ability to count 10,000 steps. This has led to an increase in the belief that this number is inevitable. Must be accessed.
Although walking 10,000 steps – a day – is not a bad thing at all, the research team for the study wanted to clarify – on a scientific basis – the reasonable number of steps to ensure a healthy life for most people, but this does not mean – also – that you should not exceed this number; The same study indicates that increasing the distance you walk each day will achieve greater benefit.
In order to understand the size of this study, we point out that the researchers systematically reviewed and analyzed the data of twelve international studies that included more than 110,000 participants, and that the results of this study are consistent with other recent studies, which showed that the health benefits of walking can be obtained with less than 10,000 steps.
What is also interesting about this study is that it showed how measurable health and physical benefits can be obtained through small increases in the number of steps per day, and that every additional 500 steps per day will improve the health of those who suffer from low levels of physical activity, and this is certainly good news. Not all people can walk 8,000 steps a day, but they can – at least – start with a small number, and then increase it – gradually – every period of time to reach the desired goal.
The study also showed that there is no difference between men and women in this regard, whether in the number of steps or in health benefits. The study also concluded that walking faster is linked to a lower risk of death, and this is regardless of the total number of daily steps.
Walking for a healthy life
But, the question remains here: Do we have to stop walking once we reach the goal of 8,000 steps per day? Ortega answers this question, saying: “Absolutely not – more steps are not bad at all, as our study has shown that even up to 16,000 steps – per day – does not pose a risk, but otherwise; There are additional benefits compared to walking 7,000 to 9,000 steps per day.”
In addition to the above, we must realize an important thing, which is that setting the daily goal for the number of steps is proportionate to the age and health condition of each individual. It is also important to note that this study only looked at the effect of walking on reducing the risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease.
On the other hand, we find other studies combined with a large body of scientific evidence, which shows that practicing moderate – and even vigorous – physical activity is linked to many health benefits, including improving the quality of sleep, mental health, and many other things. So, the bottom line is that movement and activity are two essential elements in the health of every one of us.
In conclusion, we point out that this study gives people clear and easily measurable goals. It also urges everyone to practice the simplest form of sports activity, which is walking, while counting the number of steps. To ensure the achievement of daily walking goals, which has become easy, especially since most people now own a smart phone or smart watch, which means it is easy to track the daily activity of each individual, and the possibility of measuring progress towards achieving the desired goal, which the study set at 8,000 steps per day; For a healthy and sustainable life.
