By Borja del Pozo Cruz - The Conversation
Today there is an entire industry built around the claim that you need to hit 10,000 steps a day to be healthy.
This recommendation has permeated our society in such a way that even
the World Health Organization itself has adopted it as an objective.
But where does such a claim come from?
And, above all, what is true about it according to science?
How does walking benefit health?
The first thing to say is that, whatever steps we take, the benefits of walking are unquestionable.
In the short term, it favors the release of endorphins in the brain, which makes us feel better, happier.
It also improves balance and strengthens the legs.
This is very important, as it means that it can keep us active for more years.
In addition, it makes our hearts stronger and reduces the chances of catching a cold by half, strengthening our immune system.
Another of its advantages is that it facilitates the elimination of fat, so it can be considered an effective tool for losing weight.
The latest research indicates that it could also reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer, some heart and cardiovascular diseases or dementia.
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We could say that Hippocrates was not wrong with his claim that it is the best medicine for man.
Apart from its healthy virtues, the attraction of taking walks is multiplied because, unlike other types of activity, it is not intimidating.
Quite the contrary: it can be done almost anywhere and
does not require specific equipment and clothing
, nor does it require a specific physical condition or previous skills.
The goals based on this physical exercise are easy to understand and memorize, regardless of age or education.
And currently, thanks to mobile accelerometers, activity bracelets and smart watches, we have the extra incentive of being able to measure how much and how we walk, which is in line with the mantra of 10,000 steps a day.
But why just 10,000?
This rule has its origin in a Japanese advertising campaign in the mid-1960s that, taking advantage of the Tokyo Olympics, released the first pedometer in history.
Called
mampo-kei
, it set a goal of 10,000 steps (about eight kilometers).
Since then, the scientific community has tried to clarify the usefulness of such a goal.
Some research already pointed out that it takes between 6,000 and 8,000 steps a day to reduce the risk of premature mortality.
More recently, our team has been able to determine that around 10,000 are really needed to optimally improve our health.
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For example, we were able to verify that meeting this objective reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by 35%, cancer by 20%, and dementia by 50%.
And the magic of 10,000 does not end here: our work showed that exceeding that approximate figure did not provide added benefits to the participants.
On the other hand, it seems that the virtues of walking are gradually increased.
Another conclusion we reached is that taking 4,000 steps a day is associated with
a decreased risk of dementia of up to 25%
.
It is a very comforting fact, because people who are not motivated or who begin to acquire the habit of walking should know that the benefits begin to accumulate from a few steps a day.
How hard to walk?
But what about the rhythm, does it matter?
If I have to walk for a certain time or number of steps, with what cadence do I do it?
This issue, still subject to scientific debate, is of vital relevance.
In our investigations, we observed that walking with a certain speed (moderate intensity, so that it is difficult for us to maintain a conversation while doing the activity) for at least 30 minutes a day can ensure us extra benefits.
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If apart from going out to air ourselves we give it a little rhythm, better than better.
In short: a person seeking to maximize their health through walking should aim for 10,000 steps a day, including half an hour of moderate walking.
It is also important to note that every step counts: the one we take in the garden, at home or on our afternoon walk.
Therefore, establishing more active routines that favor spending time walking can give us health, but above all it
gives us life.