Pace as important as 10,000 steps for health

10,000 steps a day is the'sweet spot' for lowered risk of disease and death according to new research.

The biggest studies to objectively track step count in relation to health outcomes were published in the journals.

10,000 steps a day is associated with a lower risk of dementia, heart disease, cancer and death. Benefits above and beyond the number of steps achieved were shown by a power walk.

"For protective health benefits people could not only aim for 10,000 steps a day but also aim to walk faster," said co-lead author Dr Matthew Ahmadi.

The study shows that as low as 3,800 steps a day can cut the risk of dementia by 25%.

The key points were discussed.

• Every 2,000 steps lowered risk of premature death incrementally by 8 to 11 percent, up to approximately 10,000 steps a day.
• Similar associations were seen for cardiovascular disease and cancer incidence.
• A higher number of steps per day was associated with a lower risk of all-cause dementia
• 9,800 steps was the optimal dose linked to lower risk of dementia by 50 percent, however risk was reduced by 25 percent at as low as 3,800 steps a day
• Stepping intensity or a faster pace showed beneficial associations for all outcomes (dementia, heart disease, cancer and death) over and above total daily steps.

"Step count is easily understood and widely used by the public to track activity levels thanks to the growing popularity of fitness trackers and apps, but rarely do people think about the pace of their steps," said senior author Emanuel Stamatakis, professor of physical activity, lifestyle and population health at the

The studies could inform the first formal step-based physical activity guidelines and help develop public health programs aimed at preventing chronic disease.

The study was done.

The data from UK Biobank was used to link up step count data from 78,500 UK adults. Participants wore a wrist accelerometer to measure their physical activity over a period of 7 days.

The information was linked with participants' health records through a number of data sources.

Only those who were disease-free in the first two years of the study were included in the final assessment. The fact that people who do more steps walk faster is one of the statistical adjustments made for confounders.

The observational nature of the studies means they can't show cause and effect, but they can show strong and consistent associations at the population level.

10,000 steps a day is the sweet spot for health benefits and walking faster is associated with additional benefits according to Dr Matthew Ahmadi.

Longer-term use of trackers will shed more light on the health benefits associated with certain levels and intensities of daily stepping.

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