In diabetic patients, taking 2,000 more steps per day, or about 15 minutes of walking, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 10%, says a study.
Walking a little more to prevent cardiovascular disease … A study published this December 20 in The Lancet states that taking 2,000 more steps is beneficial for the health of patients with glucose intolerance. These are therefore potentially 344 million people worldwide who are affected by this recommendation.
A study in 40 different countries
Glucose intolerance is synonymous with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, says lead author of the study, Dr. Thomas Yates. With this study, he demonstrates the value of improving his physical activity a little to stay in good health. To reach this conclusion, a team from the University of Leicester (UK) reviewed 9,306 records of glucose intolerant patients in 40 different countries. As part of the NAVIGATOR trial, each participant was instructed to make lifestyle changes in order to lose weight. They limited the amount of fat in the diet and walked two and a half hours more each week.
Using a pedometer, the researchers measured the number of daily steps for a week at the start of the study and at its end, 12 months later. They then performed modeling to test the relationship between the number of steps and the risk of cardiovascular disease, taking into account the risk factors. With each improvement in physical activity, the risk decreased, the team notes.
A risk reduced by 18% in the long term
During the study, the 2000 extra steps resulted in an 8% decrease in cardiovascular risk. But, in the long run, the effect is even more marked. In fact, for each additional 2,000 steps, the risk drops by 10%. These 2000 steps are approximately 1.6 km, so 16 minutes of moderate walking. Therefore, a person who takes 6,000 steps per day, the average high, and climbs to 8,000 steps at the end of the study, decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease by 18% in total.
“These benefits are seen regardless of starting weight or activity level,” says Dr. Yates. In other words, it doesn’t matter if the physical activity is light, moderate or intense. Diabetics benefit from walking more, in all cases. The recommendations of the World Health Organization go in the same direction. The average person walks between 4000 and 6000 steps per day, or 3.2 to 4.8 km. WHO asks everyone to make the effort to reach 10,000 steps, or 8 km. That’s three quarters of an hour of moderate exercise more. A modest price to stay in shape.
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