How many steps should a person take per day to stay healthy? The numbers have varied in recent years, but the 10,000 daily steps mark seems to have gained its place in recommendations made by experts.
Now, a new study shows that keeping your daily step count at around 10,000 can represent a 39% lower risk of death and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 21%. The research, carried out with data from more than 72 thousand people, was published this Wednesday (6) in scientific magazine British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The data also indicates that 10,000 steps a day can bring health benefits even when people spend a lot of time in sedentary behavior.
“This is in no way a safe conduct for people who have long periods of sedentary lifestyle. However, it is an important public health message that all movement matters and that people can and should try to offset the health consequences of unavoidable sedentary time by increasing their daily step count,” says Matthew Ahmadi, researcher at the University of Sydney and a of the study authors.
A WHO (World Health Organization) recommends that adults aged between 18 and 65 practice 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (such as running, walking or swimming) per week. If the aerobic activity is high intensity, the recommendation is between 75 and 150 minutes per week.
The recent survey was carried out with 72,174 people with an average age of 61 years old — 58% were women. Participants wore a device on their arm that allows them to count steps for seven days. Based on this period, the researchers estimated the daily number of steps and the time each person spent in sedentary behavior. All participants are part of the UK Biobank, a large UK database used in healthcare research.
The participants' health was monitored for a period of almost 7 years. Based on this information, the researchers carried out an analysis and concluded that the ideal number of steps to compensate for sedentary time and reduce the risk of death and cardiovascular disease is between 9,000 and 10,000 per day.
According to scientists, a number of steps between 4,000 and 4,500 per day was enough to provide 50% of the health benefits granted by the ideal number of 10,000.
For Leandro Costa, cardiologist at Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz, who was not involved in the study, the research stands out from previous investigations on the subject because it presents a more precise measurement of the number of steps, carried out with a device with an accelerometer to count. Smart watches and bracelets use similar technology to measure physical activity data, although accuracy may vary from one brand to another.
“Today we are clear that these devices are instruments for increasing adherence to physical activity, which leads to other healthy habits and brings health benefits,” says Costa. “The daily goal of 10,000 steps per day is already established in scientific literature, but with less precise measurements”, he adds.
Previous studies have even defined different amounts of daily steps for a healthier life. The recommendations were between 4 thousand and 7 thousand steps per day.
According to Costa, the recommendation of 10,000 steps per day is valid for most people. The expert remembers, however, that medical monitoring is essential for safely maintaining the habit — and, to this end, devices such as smart watches and bracelets can contribute, providing healthcare professionals with more information to prescribe and monitor activity. physical.
Source: CNN Brasil
I am an experienced journalist and writer with a career in the news industry. My focus is on covering Top News stories for World Stock Market, where I provide comprehensive analysis and commentary on markets around the world. I have expertise in writing both long-form articles and shorter pieces that deliver timely, relevant updates to readers.
