2023-09-04 20:55:17
One study found that both walking speed and step count are important for your health (Heathday TV)
The use of devices that monitor physical activity has become popular in recent years, allowing each of us to control the number of steps taken daily.
Does only the total number of steps in a day matter, or does the intensity of the exercise, such as going for a brisk walk or jog, make a difference? A study that analyzed data from 78,500 people shed light on this question.
The results of the research, which were published in the journals JAMA Internal Medicine y JAMA Neurologyfound that brisk walking for about 30 minutes a day lowers the risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia, and death, compared with walking the same number of steps but at a more leisurely pace.
In addition, 9,800 steps per day were found to offer the highest level of protection against the development of dementia, with a 50% risk reduction. On the other hand, walking more than 10,000 steps per day did not show significant additional benefits.
Increasing the pace of walking and distributing walks throughout the day to reach 30 minutes a day are good strategies to improve health (Getty)
For these studies, which included participants from the UK Biobank, participants, with an average age of 61, agreed to wear activity trackers for a full seven days, including nights, at the start of the trial.
The researchers found that each additional 2,000 steps a day reduced the risk of premature death, heart disease and cancer by about 10%, down to about 10,000 steps a day. As for the development of dementia, 9,800 steps a day was associated with a 50% risk reduction, with a 25% risk reduction starting at around 3,800 steps a day.
Similar studies have also shown that the benefits of walking begin well before the 10,000 steps a day that is often promoted.
The study suggested that accumulating more steps per day just below the popular threshold of 10,000 steps per day and taking steps with greater intensity may be associated with a lower risk of developing dementia (Getty Images)
According to the research team, participants who walked at a brisk pace (between 80 and 100 steps per minute) had a 35% lower risk of dying and a 25% lower chance of developing heart disease or cancer, compared to those who They walked at a slower pace.
Matthew Ahmadi, a researcher at the University of Sydney, Australia, and co-author of the study, stressed that it is not necessary to walk 30 consecutive minutes. “It can be in short bursts throughout the day,” he notes.
To put these numbers in perspective, a person whose daily step total includes between 2,400 and 3,000 brisk walks could see a sharply reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and dementia, even without taking many extra steps beyond the total number. diary.
Researchers found that for every additional 2,000 steps a day, the risk of premature death, heart disease and cancer decreased by 10% (Getty Images)
The research also underscored the importance of exercise intensity. Brisk walking may offer a high level of protection against heart disease, cancer, or dementia. Tamanna Singh, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, emphasizes that the key is to walk at an intensity that slightly pushes the limits of comfort.
When it comes to incorporating more intense exercise into daily life, Dr. Singh often reminds her patients that everything is relative. “Everyone starts from a different training state,” she said.
A fast pace for one person may not be for another, but it is the relative effort that matters. At a light exercise intensity, a person can sing a song, while at a moderate intensity, a person can easily carry on a conversation, but would have a hard time singing. At higher intensities, conversation becomes difficult, if not impossible.
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