For many, walking is a great, low-impact workout — and it happens to be completely free. Studies show that incorporating walking into your daily life can reduce your risk of heart disease and even improve your mental health.But exactly how many Walking that should be done every day is controversial.
One of the numbers that may come to mind is 10,000 steps per day. This is the goal that many people who track their steps are trying to achieve every day. This is a number associated with many fitness challenges and is what many fitness TikTokers pledge for health and weight loss.However teeth Should this number be something we all should strive for every day?
Dr. Alexis Slick, a sports medicine and rehabilitation specialist in Johns Hopkins Medicine, noted that 10,000 steps a day were developed for a Japanese pedometer marketing campaign and is not an official health recommendation. I am.
“While the studies looked at the number of steps associated with health benefits and weight loss, most studies also limited calorie intake rather than assessing the number of steps individually.” She points out.
Dr. Coslick says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially recommends “150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week, or 75 minutes of intense intensity aerobic exercise and 2 days of muscle strengthening.” I am saying. In theory, trying to reach your steps could lead you towards those athletic goals.
However, the real reason step count is an important indicator is that it indicates how often you move throughout the day. BloomTraining owner and personal trainer Tony Coffey said that daily steps are “closely linked to improved cognitive, mood, and glycemic (glycemic) control, and a reduced risk of death, blood pressure, and postprandial triglycerides from all causes.” It’s related. ” Studies show that increasing the number of steps (that is, increasing the frequency of travel throughout the day) can even help you live longer.
“A recent meta-analysis totaling over 175,000 man-years has shown that for every 1,000 steps taken per day, the risk of death from any cause is reduced by 12%,” Coffey told Yahoo Life. “The data are for individuals with an average of less than 3,000 steps per day to 16,000 steps per day. Walking less than 3,000 steps per day is a cause of death compared to the 16,000 step group. It was associated with a 300% increase in risk. Looking at it, mortality from all causes is only 70-80% higher for smokers than for nonsmokers during the day. How much you move is one of the biggest predictors of overall lifespan. “
Still, you don’t have to worry too much about 10,000 steps in particular. Michele Olson, a clinical professor of sports science at Huntingdon University in Alabama, says that 7,000 steps a day could be a sweet spot, according to a study.
“In terms of significant impact, we need to work to accumulate 7,000 steps per day. Performing 7,000 steps significantly reduces our health risk compared to performing 4,000 steps. “She shares. “By taking more steps towards 10,0000 per day, you will get additional health benefits, but you will increase your level of health.”
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