Taking around 7,000 steps a day would reduce the risk of death from all causes by 50% to 70%.
- The researchers point out that the number of 7,000 steps is not a number that should be aimed at at all costs, but more an estimate.
- Step counting devices can be useful tools for monitoring and promoting activity.
- What counts is not performance but attendance.
Physical activity is necessary for good health. It would even extend the lifespan. This is revealed by new research published on September 3 in the journal JAMA Netork Open. The researchers suggest, after observing volunteers for 11 years, that taking 7,000 steps every day can reduce the risk of death from all causes by 50% to 70%.
Not a magic step count
With their results, the researchers believe that the tools for counting the number of steps are good health allies. “Step counting devices can be useful tools for monitoring and promoting the activity of the general public and for patient-clinician communicationcontinues Amanda Paluch, researcher in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts and lead author of the study. The number of steps per day is a simple and easy measure to monitor and getting more steps/day can be a good way to promote health..”
The researchers point out that the number of 7,000 steps is not a figure that should be aimed at at all costs. “There is no single magic numberabounds Dr. Michael Massoomi who is a professor in the division of cardiology at the University of Florida and who did not participate in the study. Instead of focusing on 10,000 steps a day, as many groups call for, focus on doing more than you did the day before. If you take less than 5,000 steps a day, try to increase it to 6,000 over the next few weeks.”
Extra daily effort
The study also shows that what counts is not performance but attendance. Indeed, faster or more strenuous steps did not influence the risk of dying from above or below. Above all, researchers believe that it requires a small daily effort which can lead to great health benefits. “Exercise can reduce cardiovascular risk by improving blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, improving hyperglycemia in diabetes and contributing to weight reduction”, unfolded Dr. Guy Mintz, director of cardiovascular health at a New York hospital, who commented on the study.