Science suggests that walking 5,000 steps instead of the usual 10,000 can lower your risk of death.
A new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology has revealed that walking just 2,337 steps a day can help reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases, and the benefits continue to increase with no upper limit.
The research, led by Professor Maciej Banach from the Medical University of Lodz in Poland and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the USA, is the first to consider whether the risk of dying differs depending on age, sex, or location. The study brought together data from 17 existing studies involving 226,889 people.
The key findings show that even a modest amount of daily steps can significantly lower mortality risk. Every additional 1,000 steps a day reduces the risk of death by 15%. The health benefits of walking start at 3,967 daily steps and can reduce the risk of dying from various causes, especially those related to cardiovascular diseases.
Walking enhances heart and circulatory system function, helping lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol profiles, reduce inflammation, and strengthen muscles like the heart, quads, and hamstrings. This, in turn, improves overall cardiovascular health. Additionally, walking burns calories, aiding in maintaining a healthy weight or promoting weight loss, further decreasing cardiovascular disease risk.
Regular walking also improves bone density and strengthens muscles, helping to prevent osteoporosis and muscle loss, and contributing to overall mobility and reduced fall risk. While not directly from the study's results, walking is widely recognized to reduce stress and contribute to better mental well-being, indirectly supporting heart health.
However, the study has some limitations. It has lower levels of data on people with higher step counts (up to 20,000 a day), necessitating further research with larger data sets. Furthermore, the benefits of walking to different ages, races, and people with existing health problems need to be confirmed in future studies with larger data sets.
The study's authors also advise that further research should investigate the benefits of more intensive exercise such as running marathons and the specific benefits of walking for different ages, races, and people with existing health problems.
In conclusion, walking roughly 4,000 steps daily delivers measurable cardiovascular and mortality risk benefits, improving heart health, muscle strength, and overall longevity. This level of activity can be a practical, achievable way for many people to enhance health outcomes, especially when sustained consistently over time. The study underscores the importance of lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise, in reducing cardiovascular risk.
- The new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, led by Professor Maciej Banach, found that even a modest amount of daily steps can significantly lower the risk of death, especially from cardiovascular diseases.
- The study showed that every additional 1,000 steps a day reduces the risk of death by 15%, and the health benefits start at 3,967 steps a day.
- Walking enhances cardiovascular health by helping lower blood pressure, improving cholesterol profiles, reducing inflammation, and strengthening muscles like the heart, quads, and hamstrings.
- Furthermore, the study suggested that walking aids in maintaining a healthy weight or promoting weight loss, which in turn decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- However, the study has some limitations, as it has lower levels of data on people with higher step counts and the benefits need to be confirmed in future studies for different ages, races, and people with existing health problems.
