Walk every day, yes… but walk better. A study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine and relayed by the BBC this Monday calls into question the “myth” of 10,000 steps per day. Indeed, this health recommendation, in reality created by a Japanese company for marketing purposes, has no real scientific basis.
Researchers from the University of Sydney and the European University of Spain tracked the health of 33,560 Britons for eight years. The latter were aged 40 to 79 years and were used to walking less than 8,000 steps per day. Scientists realized that those who walked for longer sessions were healthier than those who had the same quota of steps, but scattered throughout the day.
Reduce heart risks
This first sample notably presented a reduced risk of heart problems, uncorrelated with their weight, their cholesterol level or their possible smoking. The study also showed that the increase in walking time was even greater in the case of weak walkers (less than 5,000 steps per day).
“Even people who are very little physically active can maximize the benefits for their heart by adjusting their walking habits to walk longer in one go, ideally at least 10 to 15 minutes,” testified Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, co-leader of the study. And remember that the way you walk matters as much as the quantity. A good habit, therefore, to integrate into your daily life!
