Should you be taking 4,000, 8,000 or 10,000 steps a day? This new study settles the debate – Edition du soir Ouest-France
How many steps should you take on average each day to stay in good health and limit cardiovascular risks? It’s an old debate that scientists regularly revive. A group of researchers, who looked at the habits of more than 70,000 particularly sedentary people, have just released the results of their study.
Daily walking is essential for health. On this point, everyone agrees. After that it gets complicated. How many steps should you take on average per day to get real health benefits? There has been a debate among scientists for years. For example, in September 2021, a study conducted by the University of Massachusetts found that people who took at least 7,000 steps per day had a 50 to 70% lower risk of death compared to those who took fewer steps. In March 2023, researchers from Kyoto University and the University of California at Los Angeles estimated that those who walked 8,000 or more steps once or twice a week were 15% less likely to die over a ten-year period. Five months later, another study confirmed that it was already enough to walk 4,000 steps per day to reduce significantly. “significant” Risks of early death.
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Volunteers sit for an average of ten hours per day
So what really is a good average? An international team of researchers wants to resolve this age-old debate. Led by population health expert Matthew Ahmadi of the University of Sydney in Australia, he calculated the effects of daily walking in a particularly sedentary population. As explained Science alertThe study is more representative as it is based on data from 72,174 volunteers who contributed to the UK Biobank, “A large database created in 2006 that will continue to track participants’ health measurements for at least thirty years”. For an average of seven years, participants wore wrist meters daily to measure their physical activity levels and the amount of time they typically spent sitting (mean 10.6 hours per day on average).
Verdict: The team estimates that between 9,000 and 10,000 steps per day are optimal to compensate for a highly sedentary lifestyle. It is enough to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 21% and the risk of mortality by 39%. But even those who don’t move that much have their chances, as 50% of the gains will come from 4,000 to 4,500 daily steps. The first benefits are felt even below this threshold. ” Finish Mathew Ahmadi and his colleagues.
The 10,000 step target was criticized
Ultimately, this work therefore puts into perspective the symbolic figure of 10,000 steps required for good health. A recommendation, well-anchored in people’s minds, goes back a long way: it originated in an advertisement broadcast during the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964. Then a Japanese company promoted a pedometer called Man-po-kei (man means “10,000”, po “step” and kei “meter”…).
Some experts are highly critical of this famous daily objective. “We have to put an end to the 10,000 steps that have no interest. Studies also show that it does not benefit », outlined in August 2023 by Frédéric Depisse, Sports Doctor and Scientific Advisor for Medical Sports Health of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF). He points out that the benefits of walking vary depending on a person’s age and physical condition. “Personally, I advise my patients to aim to walk between 5,000 and 7,500 steps per day. 4,000 at least for cardiac benefits. or 30 minutes of active walking or activity per day ». Another health tip: “At least 10 minutes of straight walking is also good”He adds.
Also Read: Is walking really exercise? Experts answer
Legs, but only
To get back to walking, if you have stopped everything, it is advisable to go slowly. “Start with 1,500, then 3,000 steps. We believe that we should make 10% progress every day.”, refers to Frédéric Depiesse. Sports doctor also recommends not to neglect “Work the lower back and strengthen the abdominals. We often neglect the trunk. It also reminds us of the importance of wearing good shoes.
And how often? “A recent study says that on a cardiac level, walking for two hours on the weekend or half an hour every day during the week is equivalent. If by chance you get stuck during the week, you can catch up on the weekend. But the best thing is to walk every day”This doctor emphasized again in 2023.
Ultimately, what we must remember is what we see “move”. In France, in 2017, people aged 18-64 took an average of 7,889 steps per day, according to data from the trend-avoidance barometer established by Opinion Way and IRMES.
