Probably because it is a round figure, the bar of 10,000 steps per day has been established as a rule, to stay healthy. However, a new British study, conducted by scientists at the University of Oxford, believes that this figure would be overestimated.
A risk of cancer that decreases significantly, between 5000 and 9000 steps
For this work, the researchers brought together a cohort of more than 85,000 volunteers in the United Kingdom. These participants, an average of 62 years old, carried an activity tracker for a week. The device recorded the quantity and intensity of their movements.
Six years later, the researchers faced this data with the appearance of cancers. Over the six years of follow -up, only 3 % of participants developed one of the cancers monitored by the authors of this work.
There were thirteen in total, with those of the esophagus, liver, lung, kidneys, stomach, endometrium; Myeloid leukemia, myeloma, colon; And finally the cancers of the head and neck, rectum, bladder and breast.
Result: walking between 5,000 and 9,000 steps per day is associated with a significantly reduced risk, whatever the pace. This link even persists, taking into account the BMI, age, smoking or other lifestyle factors.
A drop of 11% of cancer risk, from 7000 steps per day
These results were specified by scientists:
- From 7000 steps a day, the risk of cancer drops 11%;
- And that climbs up to 16% if you reach the 9000 daily steps.
Then surprise: the benefit stabilizes, beyond this distance. And the walking speed does nothing more, contrary to popular belief.
What cancers have appeared in men and women?
Scientists have also noticed that depending on gender, cancers that appeared among participants were not the same.
In men, the most frequent were the cancer of the colon, the rectum and the lung. In women, the breast, the colon, the endometrium and the lung appeared in the lead.
Good news: no need to make a long step in one piece to reach the famous 7,000 daily steps. According to the biochemist Mhairi Morris, of the University of Lughborough, cited in an article published on The Conversationthis threshold is completely accessible thanks to simple daily habits. It is enough, she explains, to multiply the small opportunities to move throughout the day. For example :
- Walking during your phone calls. “”Make walks on the outside or in the office while discussing points on the agenda. This promotes creativity and improves concentration while encouraging physical activity“Note Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of True Medical;
- Park your car a little further than usual. “”If you use public transport, go down a stop earlier and walk the rest of the path. If you drive, park further from the building to add a short step to your daily routine“;
- Take a break at noon. “”Use these moments to walk around the desk, go up and down the stairs, or do some simple exercises like squats, pumps or stretching “ he still advises.
Simple habits to set up and which can protect your health in the long term.