WHILE EVERY STEP YOU WALK COUNTS, A FASTER PACE may provide a bonus regarding health. Today we explore the relationship between walking and health.
Even a limited amount of walking may lower your risk of chronic disease and early mortality. Walking forms the basis of my physical activity program, and I often write about the physical and psychological benefits of moving.
https://medium.com/beingwell/three-surprising-benefits-of-walking-1eb7d6b7f7d2?sk=62a1ed221ca6cf3c405276aee8d5b806
Today we explore a new study showing that getting more steps into your regimen may further drop your risk of early death and your chances of suffering from cancer or heart disease.
“An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.”
― Henry David Thoreau
Moving faster adds more health benefits
Before we get to the new findings, I want to talk about historical smaller studies of middle-aged persons and older women that suggested health benefits from getting in less than the widely promoted target of 10,000 steps each day.
In a 2021 study, researchers asked whether step volume or intensity are associated with premature mortality among middle-aged white and Black women and men. All subjects wore accelerometers.
Here are the results of this study of 2110 adults (with an average follow-up of 10.8 years):
Subjects taking at least 7000 steps/day reduced their risk of early mortality. The researchers did not find an association of step intensity with mortality, with or without adjusting for step volume.
In absolute terms, after 22,845 person-years of follow-up:
- 72 participants died (3.4 percent)
- The low step group had 53 deaths per 1000 people, while the high step group had 41 deaths per 1000.
There appeared to be no association (in mortality) between peak 30-minute intensity or time at 100 steps per minute or more.
This study showed that higher daily step volume is associated with a lower risk of premature mortality among middle-aged women and men.
A study examined the relationship between step count and health among older women. The primary aim is? To assess associations between total steps per day and incident diabetes, with the secondary aim to assess whether the intensity or cadence of steps is associated with incident diabetes.
Let’s get right to the results. For older adults (average age 79), more steps each day appeared to be associated with a lower chance of developing diabetes. Moderate to vigorous-intensity steps appeared most strongly linked with a lower risk of diabetes.
In summary, regular steeping appears to be an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes prevention in older adults.
Daily steps and health — A new study
Researchers analyzed the United Kingdom Biobank to understand better the associations of step count and intensity with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. The evidence to support step-based goals is limited.
Each study participant, ages 40 to 79, wore an accelerometer. The wrist accelerometers captured daily step count and steps per minute, incidental steps (less than 40 per minute), purposeful steps (at least 40/min), and peak-30 cadence (average steps/min for the 30 highest, but not necessarily consecutive, minutes.
The study investigators used registry-based morbidity and mortality data. Here are the key findings:
More steps per day (up to about 10 000 steps) appeared to be associated with declines in mortality risks and decreased cancer and CVD incidence. Peak-30 cadence (stepping intensity) showed consistent associations with improved morbidity and mortality rates.
My take — Walking and health
The previous study has some limitations. Its observational design precludes making claims about causality. In addition, the researchers collected step counts at baseline; this measure may not represent walking behavior over time. Third, the study may not represent the general population — only 5.5 percent of those invited responded.
Recent studies, however, showed that the lack of representativeness in the UK Biobank did not change the associations between physical activity and improved disease incidence and mortality outcomes.
A single step count recommendation for all might not be appropriate, although age did not change the study results. Finally, the walking benefits did not seem to continue to improve after 10,000 steps, but this may represent a relatively low volume of data above that point.
Regular physical activity is one of the most important acts we can do to improve or maintain good health. Movement is associated with lower risks of several cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and more.
While I knew daily steps are associated with these health improvements, I learned that peak-30 cadence is associated with improvements in morbidity and mortality. Thank you for joining me today.
The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you seek medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog.
