Over the past few years, the theory of walking 10,000 steps a day has become the key to good health and weight loss.
However, according to one study, walking 10,000 steps a day does not actually prevent weight gain or lead to weight loss.
To find out if thousands of steps in terms of weight really make a difference, researchers at Brigham Young University’s Exercise Sciences collaborate with colleagues in the Department of Nutrition, Nutrition, and Food Science on college freshmen. I did some research.
As part of the study, researchers analyzed 120 female freshmen during the first six months of college and participated in a step counting experiment. Participants walked either 10,000, 12,500, or 15,000 steps a day, 6 days a week for 24 weeks.
In addition to the procedure, the researchers also tracked the student’s caloric intake and weight.
According to a survey published in the Journal of Obesity, even students who walked 15,000 steps a day did not gain weight due to the number of steps they took.
Rather, researchers found that at the end of the period, students earned an average of £ 3.5, according to previous studies cited. This is the amount commonly earned during the first year of a student’s school.
“The lack of weight gain attenuation between step groups was surprising because physical activity gradually increases with the recommendations of each step, and physical activity increases energy expenditure and alters energy balance.” The researchers are writing.
Among the findings, the lead author Bruce Baillie, a professor of motion science at BYU, concludes:
“Tracking your steps may help you gain physical activity, but our study doesn’t help you maintain or prevent weight gain.”
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However, researchers say that increasing steps means having an overall positive impact on a student’s “physical activity pattern” and “may have other emotional and health benefits.” Note what I said.
“The biggest advantage of step recommendations is that they free people from a sedentary lifestyle,” Bailey said. “It can’t prevent weight gain on its own, but more steps are always better for you.”
Previous studies on the benefits of walking 10,000 steps a day have also shown that this technique does not affect weight, and strenuous exercise is often more beneficial.
This article was originally published in January 2021.
