Meta-analysis shows fewer than 10K steps daily can reduce older adults' mortality risk
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Older adults can reduce their risk for all-cause mortality if they walk about 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day, according to findings published in The Lancet Public Health.
Also, adults aged younger than 60 years can reduce their mortality risk by walking about 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day.
“Promoting steps is an excellent way to promote moving more and sitting less throughout the day,” Amanda E. Paluch, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, told Healio. “Our study suggests a range of steps that can be beneficial for a lower risk of premature death, and this range varied by older vs. young to middle-aged adults. The number of daily steps is a simple and feasible measure for monitoring and promoting physical activity.”
Paluch and colleagues previously reported in a JAMA Network Open study that 7,000 steps per day may lower the risk for mortality by 50% to 70%. However, their recent meta-analysis revealed a different optimal daily walking amount.
They analyzed 15 studies involving 47,471 adult participants conducted between 1999 and 2018. The studies investigated the amount of daily walking steps needed to improve health and longevity. Paluch and colleagues categorized the participants by the number of average steps walked per day from the lowest (3,500 steps) to the highest (10,900 steps).
Over a median follow-up of 7.1 years, 3,013 participants died, which amounted to 10.1 deaths per 1,000 patient-years. Compared with participants who walked the least per day, the adjusted HR for all-cause mortality was 0.6 (95% CI, 0.51-0.71) for participants who walked an average of 3,500 steps per day, 0.55 (95% CI, 0.49-0.62) for participants who walked an average of 5,800 steps per day and 0.47 (95% CI, 0.39-0.57) for participants who walked the most per day. Overall, the researchers reported a 40% to 53% lower risk for death among participants who walked more per day than the least active group of participants.
The researchers reported that the association between higher stepping rates and mortality was attenuated but remained significant for a peak between 30 minutes (HR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.56-0.83) and 60 minutes (HR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.5-0.9) per day. However, the time spent walking faster than 40 steps per minute and 100 steps per minute was not associated with a decreased risk for mortality. Overall, Paluch and colleagues reported inconsistent evidence supporting an association between step intensity and reduced mortality.
Daily steps “can be a simple communication and promotion metric for clinicians to encourage activity for their patients,” Paluch said. “Additionally, our results showed that taking more steps, particularly among those who are least active, may have the greatest benefit. Therefore, clinicians should consider encouraging incremental, achievable goals.”
For example, physicians can encourage 5,000 steps per day to patients who currently walk 4,000 steps, and then recommend 6,000 steps once they reach 5,000.
“These small improvements could be meaningful for their health and more achievable and sustainable for their patients,” she added.
References:
Meta-analysis of 15 studies reports new findings on how many daily walking steps needed for longevity benefit. https://www.umass.edu/news/article/meta-analysis-15-studies-reports-new-findings-how-many-daily-walking-steps-needed. Published March 2, 2022. Accessed March 10, 2022.
Paluch AE, et al. Lancet Public Health. 2022;doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00302-9.