Of the 4,840 U.S. residents, average age 56.8 years, 54 percent were female, 36 percent were overweight. Subjects wore their pedometers for an average of 5.7 days for an average of 14.4 hours per day. On average, the number of steps per day was 9124. Measurements were made between 2003 and 2006 and mortality was followed up until the end of 2015.
How many steps do you need to take each day?
Of the 655 participants who took fewer than 4,000 steps per day, the death rate was 76.7 per 1,000 people per year. For 1,727 people who walked 4,000-7,999 steps a day, the rate was 21.4, for 1,539 people who walked 8,000 to 11,999 steps, 6.9, and for 919 people who counted 12,000 or more, the death rate was still 4.8.
Even those who fall below the general recommendation of 10,000 steps a day are clearly doing something for their health: Increasing the number of steps from 4,000 to 8,000 has been shown to result in a 5.53 percentage point reduction in mortality. The results did not change when the intensity of the steps – that is, the number of steps per minute – was included in the calculation.
less sick and in good physical condition
In the study, those who took more steps were: they were younger, had a lower BMI, ate less healthily, drank more alcohol than average, and were better educated; as a result, they had fewer pre-existing conditions (diabetes, heart problems, cancer) and restricted mobility than the rest of the subjects, and were generally in better physical condition.
People who walked at least 8,000 steps a day were significantly less likely to die of heart disease and cancer than those who walked 4,000 steps. In the case of cardiovascular diseases, the mortality rate decreased from 4.6 (4000 steps) to 2.7 (8000 steps) and from 4 to 2.7 in the case of cancer.
The study’s authors warn against over-interpretation, as their work contains immeasurable things. Most importantly: Sometimes the subjects’ taking more steps was due to better health from baseline. In addition, the surveys were based on subjective information. Pedometers also measured activities other than steps, such as cycling, gardening or cleaning. (SDA)