Probably because it is a round number, the 10,000 steps per day mark has been established as a rule, to stay healthy. However, a new British study, carried out by scientists at the University of Oxford, estimates that this figure is overestimated.
A risk of cancer which drops 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, aged 62 on average, wore an activity tracker for a week. The device recorded the quantity and intensity of their movements.
Six years later, researchers compared these 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 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, regardless of the pace. This link persists even when controlling for BMI, age, smoking, or other lifestyle factors.
An 11% reduction in the risk of cancer, from 7,000 steps per day
These results were clarified by scientists:
- From 7,000 steps per day, the risk of cancer drops by 11%;
- And this increases up to 16% if we reach 9000 daily steps.
Then surprise: the profit stabilizes beyond this distance. And walking speed brings nothing more, contrary to popular belief.
What cancers have appeared in men and women?
The scientists also noticed that depending on gender, the cancers that appeared in the participants were not the same.
Among men, the most common were cancers of the colon, rectum and lung. In women, the breast, colon, endometrium and lung were at the top.
Good news: there’s no need to take a long walk in one go to reach the famous 7,000 daily steps. According to biochemist Mhairi Morris of Loughborough University, cited in an article published on The Conversationthis threshold is entirely accessible thanks to simple daily habits. All you need to do, she explains, is to increase the number of small opportunities to move throughout the day. For example :
- Walk during your phone calls. “Take walks outside or around the office while discussing agenda items. This promotes creativity and improves concentration while encouraging physical activity” notes Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of True Medical;
- Park your car a little further away than usual. “If you use public transportation, get off one stop early and walk the rest of the way. If you are driving, park further from the building to add a short walk to your daily routine” ;
- Take a walk break at midday. “Use these times to walk around the office, up and down the stairs, or do some simple exercises like squats, push-ups, or stretches.”
he advises again.
Simple habits to implement that can protect your health in the long term.