In a recent study, researchers analysed one year of Fitbit data from more than 22,000 adults aged 40 and above to explore the link between walking and neurological diseases.
After following the medical records of participants for the next five years, the results showed that people who walked fewer than 5,000 steps a day had an 80% higher rate of dementia, Parkinson’s disease and stroke than those who walked more than 12,000 steps daily.
People who walked the least also had higher rates of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression.
“The takeaway is that how much you move over a year may offer a window into your overall brain-and-body health,” said study lead author and Florida Atlantic University neurology resident Dr Meet Popatbhai Kachhadia in the United States.
However, more research is needed to confirm the link.
The researchers noted that regularly taking very few steps should be a reason to check your overall health, not a reason to worry immediately about brain disease.
“Everybody should develop a regular habit of physical activity, setting realistic, sustainable fitness goals to improve their health,” recommended study co-author and neurologist Dr Marc Swerdloff.
“For example, people averaging around 8,000 steps a day had meaningfully lower rates of neurologic disease than the least active group.
“That’s a realistic target, and it aligns with federal guidance of roughly 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.
“Nobody needs to reach 12,000.” – dpa
ALSO READ: How many steps to walk for the best health effects?
