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- A new study reports that you can reap health benefits by walking between 9,000 and 10,500 steps a day, even if you spend the rest of your time sitting.
- Researchers said these steps reduced the risk of death by 39% and cardiovascular risk by 21%.
- Experts say other forms of exercise, such as swimming and cycling, can also help improve heart health.
A new study has some encouraging news for people who have trouble finding time to exercise.
Researchers say that every step you take toward a goal of 10,000 steps a day reduces your risk of death and cardiovascular disease.
What’s more, it’s said that you can reap these health benefits even if you spend most of your day sitting.
The researchers today announced their findings. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Researchers led by scientists at the University of Sydney/Charles Perkins Center in Australia accessed data on 72,174 people with an average age of 61 years. Approximately 58% of the subjects were female.
Participants were enrolled in the UK Biobank study (a major biomedical database) and wore an accelerometer device on their wrist for 7 days to measure physical activity and time spent sitting (sitting or lying down during waking hours). ) was measured.
The study authors said in a release that previous studies have shown that taking more steps per day is associated with lower levels of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death, while more sedentary behavior is associated with lower levels of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death. He said other studies have shown an increased risk of death and CVD.
However, none of the studies examined whether high levels of physical activity could offset or reduce the increased risk of death and cardiovascular disease associated with sedentary time.
Researchers looked at the median step counts for participants who logged 6,222 steps per day and those who logged 2,200 steps per day. This was the lowest 5% of daily steps among participants.
They used these measurements as a reference point to assess the impact of increased step count on mortality and cardiovascular disease events.
Study participants’ median sitting time was 10.6 hours per day. Subjects who sat for more than 10.5 hours per day were considered to have high sedentary time, whereas subjects who sat for less than 10.5 hours per day were considered to have short sedentary time.
Researchers said that during an average follow-up period of about seven years, 1,633 subjects died and 6,190 experienced a CVD event.
After considering other potentially influencing factors, the study authors found that 9,000 to 10,500 steps per day is the optimal daily step count to combat sedentary time. I concluded that there is.
That number of steps reduced the risk of death by 39% and CVD risk by 21%. In both scenarios, 50% of the benefits were achieved at 4,000 to 4,500 steps per day.
The authors noted that their study involved an observational study and therefore could not establish a causal relationship.
The authors added that while the large sample size and long follow-up period reduced the risk of bias, other unmeasured factors may have influenced the results.
They said the fact that step counts and sedentary time were obtained at a single time point may have led to reporting bias.
However, they concluded that taking more than 2,200 steps per day was associated with lower mortality and CVD risk, regardless of whether people were sedentary for short or long periods of time.
“Increasing step count from 9,000 to 10,000 steps per day optimally reduced the risk of death and developing CVD in sedentary participants,” the study authors wrote. “The minimum threshold associated with significant reductions in mortality and cardiovascular disease risk was 4,000 to 4,500 steps per day.”
“Our prospective results will provide relevant findings that can be used to strengthen public health messages and inform the first generation of device-based physical activity and sedentary behavior guidelines. “This may include specific recommendations for daily walking,” they added.
said Dr. Hoang Nguyen, an interventional cardiac specialist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at California’s Orange Coast Medical Center, who was not involved in the study. Today’s medical news Doctors have known for decades that regular daily physical activity has a positive cardiovascular effect.
But this study is different, he noted.
“This study is interesting in that higher levels of activity can compensate for a sedentary lifestyle in terms of CVD and mortality benefits,” Nguyen said. “While this study benefits from a large data pool, it is limited by being an observational study with the potential for unidentified confounders.”
Nguyen said the study can be used as a source of encouragement for people who are sedentary but can take time for physical activity if possible.
“There are multiple ways to increase physical activity equivalent to daily steps,” he says. “For example, when you drive to work or the grocery store, avoid parking near the entrance. You can also take your dog for a walk when you get home. If you don’t have a dog, try to avoid parking near the entrance. You can volunteer to walk dogs for people, friends, and relatives.
“Try to use the stairs instead of the elevator at work,” Nguyen added. “Instead of texting or calling a coworker, you can walk directly to their desk or office. Instead of driving to your favorite lunch spot, try having lunch at a restaurant within walking distance. How about you? Invest in a smartwatch with an accelerometer so you can track yourself and set goals.”
“It’s important to note that this is not the case,” said Dr. J. Wes Ulm, a bioinformatics resource analyst and biomedical data expert at the National Institutes of Health, who was also not involved in the study. Today’s medical news It is a “well-structured, fundamental, yet rigorous study that helps science tackle one of its defining missions: to reveal real causation from correlation.” It clearly shows how it is done.”
“The verdict of this study is that it appears that it is indeed exercise itself, and not just ‘sedance’, that promotes enhanced health maintenance. Therefore, the recommended daily 10,000 steps ” he said. “The problem, of course, is that this can be a tall order for busy Americans who work long hours and take on additional responsibilities with family and errands.” Especially given the relatively high stress levels compared to the rest of the country.”
Ulm said the United States has barriers to routine exercises like those seen in Europe and Asia.
“Unfortunately, work-life balance in the United States is notoriously difficult to achieve such goals, due to structural factors such as urban planning and underlying geography,” he explains. did. “Compared to countries in Europe and Asia, where there are more options for public transport, cycling and walking, and better office-home arrangements, we have to drive much longer distances between home and work. Collectively, they can work closer to home with more affordable housing costs.”
said Dr. Jeff Burns, a cardiologist, assistant professor at the University of Michigan, and expert on the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis. Today’s medical news That any movement is helpful.
“Walking is a great way to keep your body moving, but biking, swimming, and climbing stairs are also options,” said Burns, who was not involved in the study. said. “Incorporating more activity into your daily life doesn’t necessarily have to require dedicated exercise time or a set number of steps.”
Burns also suggested walking during in-person or phone meetings. He said the benefits to his body go beyond heart health.
“We know that various activities such as walking, cycling and swimming are beneficial not only for the heart but also for the blood vessels,” he said. “One of the biggest risks of being immobile for long periods of time is that it can lead to blood clots, deep vein thrombosis, or varicose veins. To prevent life-threatening conditions, keep blood circulating throughout your body and in your legs. It is essential to keep it.”
Dr. Mustali Dohadwala is the sole practitioner of HeartSafe LLC, a private cardiovascular practice in Boston. said Dohadwala, who was not involved in the study. Today’s medical news At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, spread out over the course of a week, is just as effective as walking.
“This activity should increase your heart rate to at least three times your resting heart rate,” he said. “Participating in fun activities like soccer, swimming, squash, pickleball, and other recreational sports can make meeting this requirement even more fun.”
While the study found that people still spend plenty of time sitting, Dohadwala said it was important to avoid a sedentary lifestyle overall.
“Incorporating just 15 minutes of light activity into your daily routine has been shown to have a significant positive impact on cardiovascular health and overall mortality,” Dohadwala said. “This level of exercise improves the health of your heart, blood vessels, and brain, and may extend your lifespan. By raising your heart rate and increasing vascular blood flow, this activity improves your blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and cholesterol levels. It effectively lowers fat accumulation, systemic inflammation, stress, and depression.”
“Remarkably, each of these factors, including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, fat accumulation, inflammation, and stress, are independently associated with cardiovascular disease outcomes, and regular physical activity is essential to overall health.” “It emphasizes the importance of action,” he added.
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