10,000 steps walk per day reduces risk of dementia, cancer, and mortality: Study

Let's be honest, can we actually walk out a way to fitness? Walking is one of the most effective, affordable, and straightforward exercises. 

A recent study claims that walking 10,000 steps a day lowers the risk of dementia, cancer, heart attack, and mortality.

The study was published in the journals JAMA Internal Medicine and JAMA Neurology.

The study used data from the UK biobank to correlate step counts from 78,500 UK adults aged between 40 and 79. However, individuals who were free of cardiovascular disease, cancer, or dementia were included in the final assessment.

The study monitored 75,800 adults with wearable trackers, making it the largest study to objectively track step counts in relation to health outcomes. 

Head researcher, Dr. Matthew Ahmadi, said, "The take-home message here is that for protective health benefits, people could not only ideally aim for 10,000 steps a day but also aim to walk faster," ANI reported.

However, for less active individuals, the study offers an option for them to maintain their health. Borja del Pozo, associate researcher, Cruz said that the research also shows that as few as 3,800 steps a day can cut the risk of dementia by 25 per cent.

The study also claims that every 2,000 steps reduce the risk of premature death incrementally by 8 to 11 per cent nearly 10,000 steps a day.

Ahmadi said, "The size and scope of these studies using wrist-worn trackers make it the most robust evidence to date suggesting that 10,000 steps a day is the sweet spot for health benefits and walking faster is associated with additional benefits," ANI reported.