The Benefits of Walking 6000 Steps a Day

According to Peter Schantz, professor of sports science with a background in human biology, 6,000 steps a day and a 4.8km walk daily are the benefits of walking. He also says that walking will reduce your chances of heart disease, cancer, depression, and premature death.

Reduces risk of heart disease

New research shows that achieving a higher step count can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. A review of 17 prospective studies of more than 30,000 people found that walking at least 6000 steps per day decreased the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease. This was more evident in physically active jobs that require more steps such as furniture removalist as oppose to an office worker. However, the health benefits were less pronounced if you were walking less than this amount.

A recent meta-analysis of 15 studies found a link between daily step count and risk of all-cause mortality. The researchers found that the association between step count and mortality was nonlinear, with a plateau occurring at 8,000 steps per day. The researchers concluded that a daily step count of 8,000 steps per day could reduce the risk of mortality by 50% or more. This threshold is similar to those associated with cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer, and may represent an appropriate target for many people.

The study included participants in over 40 countries. This included the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. It also included people in Japan, China, and Australia. The researchers also found a relationship between the steps taken each day and the incidence of diabetes, obesity, and sleep apnoea. Despite these limitations, the study provides solid evidence for the importance of physical activity guidelines.

Reduces risk of depression

A recent study suggests that walking a minimum of 6000 steps a day reduces the risk of depression. Researchers examined the link between walking and depression by examining changes in serotonin levels over time. When compared with a sedentary lifestyle, people who walk more than 10,000 steps per day have lower depression scores. Movers in New Zealand say, ”On a daily basis the job of a mover requires the repetitive nature of walking up and down steps, in and out of houses and loading furniture onto trucks this all  averages out to 10000 – 12000 steps a day.”

Researchers also looked at the relationship between incident disease and step counts. They adjusted for race, sex, and age. Then, they calculated the relationship between step counts and incidence of GERD, MDD, and obesity. The results indicated that the risk of each of these conditions declined by 31% or more once a person reached a daily step total of 6000 steps.

The study involved 6,042 people from the USA. It included real-world data from wearable activity monitors. Researchers concluded that walking 6,000 steps a day reduced the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression. Increasing daily activity may also reduce the risk of sleep apnea and obesity.

Reduces risk of premature death

A recent study suggests that walking 6000 steps a day may reduce the risk of premature death. This amount of physical activity is beneficial in several ways, including reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and 13 different types of cancer. It can also help reduce the risk of dementia. More steps per day, however, are not required for additional benefits.

The researchers looked at 47,471 adults from around the world. After taking into account other factors, they calculated the number of steps that were required to reduce the risk of death. They found that walking between 6000 and 8000 steps a day significantly reduced the risk of mortality in 25 percent of the study population. The study did not find any significant differences in the number of steps per day by walking speed, which might account for the observed association.

While the study looked at only middle-aged adults, it did highlight an important point: moving more may reduce the risk of early death. While there is no hard and fast rule for how many steps should be taken per day, the higher the number of steps, the greater the reduction in mortality.