A new research has revealed that walking at least 3,967 steps every day can reduce the chances of dying. According to scientists, the risk of death from any cause decreases with every 500 to 1000 steps a person takes every day.
The findings of the study were published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
“Our study confirms that the more you walk, the better,” Maciej Banach, the author of the study and a professor of cardiology at the Medical University of Lodz, Poland, and an adjunct professor at the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland, said in a press statement.
According to the researchers, walking 2,337 steps a day reduced the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Although scientists are yet to determine an upper limit of steps, they emphasised that the more steps a person walks, the greater the health benefits. Insufficient physical activity accounts for more than 3 million deaths globally every year. According to the World Health Organization, it is the 4th leading mortality risk factor.
The team also found that an extra 1,000 steps a day was associated with a 15% reduced risk of death from any cause. Meanwhile, an extra 500 steps a day lead to a 7% reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every week.