Scientists determine surprising number of steps to offset sedentary lifestyle

How the analysis was conducted

A group of scientists from various countries concluded that even those who are sedentary can mitigate the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle by incorporating walks into their routines.

To determine the specific number of steps, they conducted a study analyzing data from 72,174 participants in the British Biobank program. This large dataset was created in 2006 and contains information about the participants' health status for nearly seven years.

Using wrist accelerometers, researchers assessed the level of physical activity of participants who spent an average of about 10.6 hours per day in a sedentary position. People with serious health problems were excluded from the study.

Summary of the study results

The study results confirmed that walking from 9,000 to 10,000 steps per day is optimal for combating a sedentary lifestyle. At the same time, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases decreases by 21 percent, and the risk of death decreases by 39 percent.

It was also found that the minimal positive effect against a sedentary lifestyle is observed when taking more than 2,200 steps per day. This is not too much, so it is important to remember to take short walks throughout the day.

Additionally, scientists have named the ideal running pace for health.

And they also talked about the 5 principles of running workouts that will definitely yield results.

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