A recent study has found that it is not necessary to do a daily plod of 10 000 steps to stay fit and healthy, and that, in fact, while 4 000 is enough to start reducing the risk of dying early of any cause, slightly more than 2 300 is enough to benefit the heart and blood vessels.
The researchers, whose analysis involved 17 studies and 226 000 people around the world, said, however, the more you do, the more health benefits are seen, and that every extra 1 000 steps beyond the 4 000 reduced the risk of dying early.
BBC reports that the team looked at the common causes of premature death such as: high blood pressure, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity and neurological health conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our study confirms that the more you walk, the better,” said Dr Maciej Banach, professor of cardiology at the Medical University of Lodz, Poland, and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
The results apply regardless of gender, age or where someone lives globally, found the study, which was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Besides reducing the risk of death, low-intensity cardio exercises like a daily brisk walk around the block have been linked to several health benefits, including improved mood, memory, energy levels and a stronger immune system. It’s also great for reducing stress and improving bone and joint health.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the faster, farther, and more frequently a person walks, the greater the benefits.
In contrast, there’s strong evidence that a lack of physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle can shorten lifespan. WHO data show physical inactivity is linked to 3.2m deaths per year globally.
The biggest benefits were seen among the under-60s, and Banach said that while the number of advanced drugs for treatment was increasing, they were not the only answer.
“Lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise – which was a main hero of our analysis – might be at least as, or even more, effective in reducing cardiovascular risk and prolonging lives,” he said.
Walking is suitable for almost anybody because it is low impact and easy on joints and muscles.
Study details
The association between daily step count and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: a meta-analysis
Maciej Banach, Joanna Lewek, Stanisław Surma, et al.
Published in European Journal of Preventive Cardiology on 9 August 2023
Abstract
Aims
There is good evidence showing that inactivity and walking minimal steps/day increase the risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease and general ill-health. The optimal number of steps and their role in health is, however, still unclear. Therefore, in this meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between step count and all-cause mortality and CV mortality.
Methods and results
We systematically searched relevant electronic databases from inception until 12 June 2022. The main endpoints were all-cause mortality and CV mortality. An inverse-variance weighted random-effects model was used to calculate the number of steps/day and mortality. Seventeen cohort studies with a total of 226 889 participants (generally healthy or patients at CV risk) with a median follow-up 7.1 years were included in the meta-analysis. A 1000-step increment was associated with a 15% decreased risk of all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 0.85; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81–0.91; P < 0.001], while a 500-step increment was associated with a 7% decrease in CV mortality (HR 0.93; 95% CI 0.91–0.95; P < 0.001). Compared with the reference quartile with median steps/day 3967 (2500–6675), the Quartile 1 (Q1, median steps: 5537), Quartile 2 (Q2, median steps 7370), and Quartile 3 (Q3, median steps 11 529) were associated with lower risk for all-cause mortality (48, 55, and 67%, respectively; P < 0.05, for all). Similarly, compared with the lowest quartile of steps/day used as reference [median steps 2337, interquartile range 1596–4000), higher quartiles of steps/day (Q1 = 3982, Q2 = 6661, and Q3 = 10 413) were linearly associated with a reduced risk of CV mortality (16, 49, and 77%; P < 0.05, for all). Using a restricted cubic splines model, we observed a nonlinear dose–response association between step count and all-cause and CV mortality (Pnonlineraly < 0.001, for both) with a progressively lower risk of mortality with an increased step count.
Conclusion
This meta-analysis demonstrates a significant inverse association between daily step count and all-cause mortality and CV mortality with more the better over the cut-off point of 3967 steps/day for all-cause mortality and only 2337 steps for CV mortality.
BBC article – Fitness: Fewer than 5,000 steps a day enough to boost health (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Optimal number of daily steps to reduce all-cause mortality varies by age – Meta-analysis
Daily steps in middle age significantly affect all-cause mortality — CARDIA study
Study tests the goal of 10,000 daily steps to reduce mortality risk
Higher daily step counts strongly associated with lower mortality risk