We have been debating for decades what the optimal number of daily steps is for a healthy life. Some studies suggested 7,000 steps, others 8,000. The most recent study has concluded that 10,000 is the most adequate figure for health. However, recent studies emphasize that the way we move may be of equal or greater importance. Those who walk faster have a lower risk of premature death. You have to pick up the pace.
The study. Researchers from the University of Sydney and the University of Southern Denmark compiled data for the largest study ever conducted on step counting in relation to health and concluded that 10,000 steps a day is the “sweet spot” for reducing the risk of dementia in approximately 50%, and cardiovascular diseases or cancer between 30 and 40%.
They also found that a fast pace can have similar health benefits to the 20% of participants who achieved 10,000 a day. That is, fewer ballots of having dementia, heart disease or cancer.
faster, more health. “Sometimes reaching 10,000 steps can be tricky. If you can walk at a faster pace for brief moments throughout the day, you can reap the same benefits,” said study co-author Matthew Ahmadi.
Four years ago, another study concluded that those who walked faster had a lower risk of premature death. They found that it reduced the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease or stroke. Compared with slow walkers, the quick walkers had a 24% lower risk of premature death from any cause and a 21% lower risk of death from cardiovascular causes.
Why? Walking at a faster pace increases a person’s heart rate. “The more blood flows through the arteries, the more they activate the self-renewing processes in the arteries,” explained Professor Tony Blazevich, a biomechanics expert at Edith Cowan University. And he noted, “The extra blood flow can be good for every part of our body: our brain, our muscles, everything.”
And what does cancer have to do with fast walking? There is a theory that cancers are strongly related to inflammation in our bodies and we know that exercise is one of the best ways to minimize inflammation. On the other hand, higher intensity exercise triggers a much more powerful production of ‘internal medicine’ within the body through hormonal and immune responses.
In this pace calculator you can see how long it will take you to walk various distances and measure your speed:
But watch out. Keep in mind that there are no set standards for what “slow” or “fast” walking means in terms of speed. In the studies, participants reported their perceived pace above usual. In other words, what a 70-year-old sedentary person in poor physical condition perceives as a “fast” walking pace will be very different from that of a 40-year-old athlete.
That’s why research suggests that the results have more to do with relative intensity (to the person’s physical ability). That is, the greater the physical effort when walking, the better for health.
In this pace calculator created by Verywell you can see how long it will take you to walk various distances and measure your speed:
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