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From 2,200 steps a day, the risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death decreases – even if a lot of time is spent sitting. The maximum protective effect is achieved between 9,000 and 10,500 steps per day.
A new study involving experts from the University of Sydney examined the connections between the number of steps taken per day and all-cause mortality and the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases depending on the time spent sitting. The results are published in the “British Journal of Sports Medicine”.
Over 70,000 participants
The study included a total of 72,174 people who were part of the UK Biobank study. During the average medical follow-up period of 6.9 years, 1,633 deaths and 6,190 cardiovascular events occurred among participants, the team reports.
According to the researchers, the data analysis showed that the number of steps taken daily has a significant influence on the risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death.
How many steps are optimal?
Any daily step count above the reference value of 2,200 steps per day was associated with lower mortality and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, for both short and long daily sitting times, the experts explain.
The researchers add that compared to the reference value of 2,200 steps per day, the optimal dose for all-cause mortality was 9,000 to 10,500 steps per day, both for people who spent little time sitting and for people who spent a lot of time Spending time doing seated activities.
In terms of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, around 9,700 steps per day were sufficient to achieve maximum effect – regardless of whether a lot of time was spent on activities while sitting or not.
Between 4,000 and 4,500 steps per day are recommended as a minimum dose (which is associated with a 50 percent protective effect of the optimal dose) for protection against premature death and cardiovascular diseases in participants who spend a lot of time doing sedentary activities , explains the team in a press release.
Regardless of the time spent on activities while sitting, a lower risk of early death and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease can be expected from a value of 2,200 steps per day.
Move more and sit less
The experts add that the risk of cardiovascular disease was generally lower for about the same number of steps when participants spent less time in sedentary activities than when they spent a lot of time sitting. (as)