Increasing daily step count can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), premature death, cancer, and diabetes, even for highly sedentary individuals.
The widely recommended 10,000 steps per day for health and vitality originated from a Japanese company in 1964 and is not based on scientific evidence.
A study analyzing data from 72,174 participants in the UK Biobank showed that accumulating more than 2,200 steps per day was associated with lower mortality and CVD risk, especially for highly sedentary individuals.
Around 4,000 to 5,000 steps per day can provide significant health benefits, regardless of sedentary time. Participants who took 9,000 to 10,000 steps per day had a 21% reduced risk of CVD and a 39% reduced risk of mortality.
While the universal goal of 10,000 steps per day may not be ideal for everyone, incorporating short periods of physical activity, such as walking, into daily routines can help mitigate the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle, including obesity, musculoskeletal problems, decreased brain function, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and shorter lifespans, and improve overall health.
To maintain a healthy lifestyle while traveling, explore destinations on foot, enjoy foreign cuisine in moderation, hydrate with water, skip alcoholic drinks, exercise for 10 minutes daily, and practice relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga.
Sources: Diario Uno, Tasnim News, Nacional, n-tv, CNBC Indonesia, Playtech, NZ Herald, Xaluan News, Detik, Postimees, News 24, ScienceAlert, ImpresiUpdate
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
