Walking is good for your health, but not everyone can exercise regularly. However, a new study at Kyoto University suggests that even walking for just a couple of days a week can have health benefits.
The study looked at the number of steps taken by 3,101 adults in the United States over a week.
The researchers found that people who walked 8,000 steps or more for at least one or two days of the week had a lower risk of dying from any cause or from heart disease over the next 10 years.
The study also found that there was a curvilinear dose-response association between the number of days people walked and their risk of dying.
This means that as people walked more days, their risk of dying decreased, but the association plateaued after three days of walking per week.
This study is important because it suggests that even small amounts of walking can have health benefits.
For people who find it difficult to exercise regularly, walking for just a couple of days a week can still help to reduce their risk of dying from heart disease or any cause.
Walking is a low-cost and low-impact form of exercise that is easy to incorporate into daily life.
It can be done anywhere and at any time, and it is a great way to improve health and well-being. Walking is also a good way to improve mental health, as it can help to reduce stress and improve mood.
While this study is a step in the right direction, it is important to note that more research is needed to fully understand the health benefits of walking.
For example, the study did not look at the intensity or duration of the walking, so it is unclear whether longer or more intense walks would have even greater health benefits.
It is also important to note that walking is just one part of a healthy lifestyle. Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and managing stress are also important for overall health and well-being.
In conclusion, this study suggests that walking for just a couple of days a week can have meaningful health benefits, particularly for people who struggle to exercise regularly.
Walking is a low-cost and low-impact form of exercise that can improve physical and mental health.
However, more research is needed to fully understand the health benefits of walking and how it fits into a healthy lifestyle.
While the common recommendation for daily steps is 10,000, recent research suggests that taking fewer steps can still provide health benefits.
The idea of taking 10,000 steps per day originated in Japan in the 1960s as part of a marketing campaign for a pedometer called “Manpo-kei,” which translates to “10,000 steps meter.”
Since then, it has become a widely accepted goal for daily physical activity.
However, the 10,000 steps target is not based on scientific evidence and may not be necessary for everyone.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week, in addition to muscle-strengthening activities.
This can be achieved through a variety of activities, including walking, running, cycling, swimming, and dancing.
While walking is a popular and accessible form of physical activity, the number of steps needed to achieve health benefits varies from person to person.
Factors such as age, sex, weight, and overall fitness level can influence how many steps are necessary for optimal health.
If you care about exercise, please read studies about exercise that may slow down bone aging, and this exercise is vital to improving longevity in older people.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about natural coconut sugar that could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness, and anti-inflammatory diet could help prevent fatty liver disease.
The study was conducted by Kosuke Inoue et al and published in JAMA Network Open.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.