New research suggests that not just the count of 10,000 steps, but how fast you take those steps also matters for maintaining a healthy body. Every fitness expert states that to keep the muscles and joints healthy, it is necessary to take 10,000 steps daily. But new research has suggested that the pace of these 10,000 straps decides how effective it is on the body.
A study was published in the JAMA Internal Medicine and JAMA Neurology journal by researchers at the University of Sydney. The study analyzed around 78,000 adults by tracking their physical activity using wearable activity trackers. The University of Sydney along with the University of Denmark found that taking 10,000 steps a day results in significantly reduced chances of dementia, heart conditions, cancer, etc. Further analysis of the results, however, showed that taking a power walk to complete the goal of 10,000 steps a day, shows results much superior to a normal walk. Power walking means walking faster than the normal pace, which requires higher physical activity and respiratory coordination.
For this study, the researchers at the University of Sydney used the available data from Biobank UK. The data included the fitness activity of around 78,000 UK citizens from the age group of 40-79 years old. It included their health outcomes for 7 years. These citizens were strapped with a fitness tracker for around 7 days. The collected data was then correlated with the health records. The health records contained 7 years of medical history of the involved people. However, the researchers added that the study was observational and requires additional studies to conduct for the conclusion. The researchers also added that the study has suggested a strong relationship between the pace of the steps taken and the health outcomes.
According to the study, taking 10,000 steps a day significantly reduced the chances of premature death, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. In the case of dementia, taking 10,000 steps a day reduced the incidence by almost 50%. Taking around 3,800 steps a day reduced the rate of incidence by almost 25%. Taking a power nap or increasing the pace of taking steps provided results that are much superior to the results obtained from just taking 10,000 steps a day. The researchers stated that with the increasing popularity of fitness trackers, people have become more aware of personal health. But people mostly focus on completing the goal of 10,000 steps a day, instead of focusing on how quickly they achieve it. This results in not getting the proper results. Hence, researchers suggested that instead of slowly walking and completing the steps, people should take a power walk for 2,000 steps at a time, to get the maximum output.
Wearable trackers are now widely available in the form of smartwatches and fitness bands. They are also available at a cheaper price, which has increased their accessibility to the general public. Based on the study, people can use these wearable fitness devices to track the number of steps taken, the distance covered, and the time taken to complete the goal. This can easily provide insight into the pace of walking, which people can adjust based on their physical strength and cardio. Not just the 10,000 steps, but how fast you walk also matters for staying healthy
Yash Ranjan09/13/2022
New research suggests that not just the count of 10,000 steps, but how fast you take those steps also matters for maintaining a healthy body. Every fitness expert states that to keep the muscles and joints healthy, it is necessary to take 10,000 steps daily. But new research has suggested that the pace of these 10,000 straps decides how effective it is on the body.
A study was published in the JAMA Internal Medicine and JAMA Neurology journal by researchers at the University of Sydney. The study analyzed around 78,000 adults by tracking their physical activity using wearable activity trackers. The University of Sydney along with the University of Denmark found that taking 10,000 steps a day results in significantly reduced chances of dementia, heart conditions, cancer, etc. Further analysis of the results, however, showed that taking a power walk to complete the goal of 10,000 steps a day, shows results much superior to a normal walk. Power walking means walking faster than the normal pace, which requires higher physical activity and respiratory coordination.
For this study, the researchers at the University of Sydney used the available data from Biobank UK. The data included the fitness activity of around 78,000 UK citizens from the age group of 40-79 years old. It included their health outcomes for 7 years. These citizens were strapped with a fitness tracker for around 7 days. The collected data was then correlated with the health records. The health records contained 7 years of medical history of the involved people. However, the researchers added that the study was observational and requires additional studies to conduct for the conclusion. The researchers also added that the study has suggested a strong relationship between the pace of the steps taken and the health outcomes.
According to the study, taking 10,000 steps a day significantly reduced the chances of premature death, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. In the case of dementia, taking 10,000 steps a day reduced the incidence by almost 50%. Taking around 3,800 steps a day reduced the rate of incidence by almost 25%. Taking a power nap or increasing the pace of taking steps provided results that are much superior to the results obtained from just taking 10,000 steps a day. The researchers stated that with the increasing popularity of fitness trackers, people have become more aware of personal health. But people mostly focus on completing the goal of 10,000 steps a day, instead of focusing on how quickly they achieve it. This results in not getting the proper results. Hence, researchers suggested that instead of slowly walking and completing the steps, people should take a power walk for 2,000 steps at a time, to get the maximum output.
Wearable trackers are now widely available in the form of smartwatches and fitness bands. They are also available at a cheaper price, which has increased their accessibility to the general public. Based on the study, people can use these wearable fitness devices to track the number of steps taken, the distance covered, and the time taken to complete the goal. This can easily provide insight into the pace of walking, which people can adjust based on their physical strength and cardio. 
