Goal 10,000 steps helps eliminate the damage caused by a sedentary lifestyle

According to the study, those who reach this daily total have a 39% lower risk of death.

A study by the Charles Perkins Center at the University of Sydney, Australia, revealed that increasing the number of steps taken each day can counteract the negative consequences of spending a lot of time still.

The study on over 72,000 people (average age 61 years; 58% women), published in British Journal of Sports Medicinethey found that increasing daily movement to about 10,000 steps per day was linked to a 39% lower risk of death and a 21% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, regardless of how much remaining sedentary time the person accumulated during the day.

Previous studies had already demonstrated this association between a greater number of daily steps and lower levels of death and cardiovascular disease, while others indicated high levels of sedentary behavior with greater risks of cardiovascular disease and death.

However, researchers say this is the first to objectively measure, using wrist-worn devices, whether daily steps can offset the health risks of sedentary behavior, which means spending a lot of time in front of the TV or computer.

The 10,000 step milestone is helpful

The lead author of the study and doctor Matthew Ahmadi estimates that the 10,000 step milestone can act as a safe conduct for those who stay still for a long time, and brings an important message to the population that every movement is important to try to neutralize the negative consequences on one’s health sedentary lifestyle.

Senior author Emmanuel Stamatakis, director of the research center with Wearable (wearable technologies) from the Charles Perkins Center, said this growing body of physical activity research using device-based measurements offers great opportunities for public health.

Step counting is a tangible, easily understandable measure of physical activity that can help people in the community and even healthcare providers accurately track physical activity. We hope that this evidence will inform the first generation of device-based physical activity and sedentary behavior guidelines, which should include key recommendations on the number of daily steps,” she said.

How was the study conducted?

The researchers used data from individuals who wore a device on their wrist for seven days to measure their physical activity. Accelerometer data were used to estimate the number of daily steps and sedentary time, i.e. sitting or lying down while awake. The research team then monitored the participants’ health trajectories by linking hospitalization data and death data.

Participants’ average daily step count was 6,222, and 2,200 steps/day (the lowest average among all participants) was considered the comparator level for assessing the impact on mortality and cardiovascular events with increased activity.

The average sedentary time was 10.6 hours per day, so study participants who sat still for 10.5 hours or more per day were considered to have a high level of sedentary lifestyle, while those who spent less than 10 .5 hours a day were sedentary individuals. low sedentary time.

Adjustments were made to eliminate bias, such as excluding participants who were in poor health, were underweight, or had had a health event within the two years of follow-up. The researchers also took into account factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, education, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, diet and family history of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Over an average of 6.9 years of follow-up, 1,633 deaths and 6,190 cardiovascular events (such as heart attack or stroke) occurred. After taking other potential influencers into consideration, the authors calculated the ideal number of steps per day to combat sedentary lifestyle.

It is worth mentioning that half of the benefits were obtained between 4,000 and 4,500 steps per day, which can serve as a stimulus for those who cannot exceed them.

Limitations

The authors warn that the study has limitations, including the fact that it is observational, which does not allow a direct cause and effect relationship to be established. And although the large sample size and long follow-up reduced the risk of bias, the authors acknowledge the possibility that other unmeasured factors could influence the results.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.