We are all looking for ways we can be healthier, and as the spring months approach, getting outside and walking more is one thing most people can manage. The question is, how much do you need to walk to see a benefit to your health?
Taking 10,000 steps a day has become a commonly cited target, but it requires time and can be off-putting. The good news is that a recent study has suggested that half of that can still have significant health benefits, with 5,000 steps three times a week over two years shown to increase life expectancy by up to three years.
In addition, if inactive people were to start increasing their daily steps, it could improve health, reduce medical appointments, and save the NHS billions every year.
Inactivity is a major contributor to poor physical and mental health. Experts have estimated that around a third of the UK population is ‘inactive’, which means they lead a sedentary lifestyle with long periods of sitting or inactivity, contributing to a rise in weight issues, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, all of which cost the NHS billions every year.
We all know we should eat healthily and get enough exercise, but various factors can be a barrier to physical activity, such as busy lives, poor health, and being overweight, which can make physical activity difficult due to issues such as joint pain and breathlessness. However, research has shown that even moderate physical activity regularly can help improve health and reduce the risk of developing illnesses, and that people from older age groups and those who are more inactive can benefit the most by starting to make small changes to their habits.
A new study, launched in 2013 by the London School of Economics and health insurance firm Vitality, mapped the physical activity and nutrition behaviours of a million Vitality members over 10 years.
The study aimed to find the best ways to form and maintain lifelong habits to stay in good shape and also investigate the science behind how healthy habits can lead to a longer life span.
The study looked at the walking habits and overall health of over one million people in the UK and South Africa.
The researchers found that a 5,000-step walk three times a week over two years can increase life expectancy in men by 2.5 years and up to 3 years in women.
However, doing more steps did have a greater benefit, and the study found that participants who managed to do 10,000 steps a day three times a week over three years reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 41 per cent, and those who walked 10,000 steps five times a week had their risks of developing the disease reduced even further by 57 per cent.
So, while walking 10,000 steps has the highest impact on health, it is still significant that just half this number, 5,000 steps, three times a week, can lead to significant health benefits. This is equivalent to around 3.5 kilometres, or just over 2 miles.
Forming and sustaining a habit of physical activity for three days a week was also associated with a 10 per cent reduction in in-hospital healthcare costs and a 13 per cent reduction when sustaining an average of more than three days of physical activity a week, regardless of intensity, for two years.
The researchers in the study suggested that if people in the UK achieved 5,000 steps three times a week, rather than the more challenging 10,000 steps, it could improve people’s health, reduce in-hospital care, and save the NHS £15 billion every year.
The study also found that older people got the most out of regular walking, showing benefits can be achieved in any age group.
The researchers reported that those who walked more than 7,500 steps three times a week in the over-65s age group were at least 52 per cent less likely to suffer premature death, people aged 45–65 saw a 38 per cent reduction, and the risk for the total population was reduced by 27 per cent.
The study showed that getting into a regular habit of including more periods of activity, such as 5,000 steps three times a week, and maintaining them over a prolonged period was key to health benefits rather than the intensity or duration of exercise.
The advice is to start moderately and build up your steps rather than pushing yourself to do too many at once. Forming and maintaining the habit long-term is key. So, try to include some more walking in your weekly routines, by walking to the shops, walking around the supermarket, taking a walk on the weekend or at lunchtime to get a sandwich or coffee, taking a walk with friends, etc. Inactivity is a big driver of poor health.
Even just getting up and out of the chair regularly and walking up and down in your own home, doing some gentle exercises or stretches can help improve your health as you build up your activity levels.
(Photo: Pavel Danilyu/Pexels)
Rachel Kayani
