Extra 500 steps reduce risk of heart problems

IF 10,000 steps a day seems daunting, do not despair – scientists have found that walking just 500 extra steps can cut the risk of a stroke and heart problems to help you live longer.

Compared with people who took fewer than 2,000 steps per day, those who notched up about 4,500 were 77 per cent less likely to experience a cardiovascular event in the next 3.5 years, a study of 452 over-70s found.

So every additional 500 steps lowered the risk of heart issues by 14 per cent.

The study’s lead researcher, Dr Erin Dooley, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Alabama, said: “We were surprised to find that every additional quarter of a mile, or 500 steps, of walking had such a strong benefit to heart health.

“While we do not want to diminish the importance of higher intensity physical activity, encouraging small increases in the number of daily steps also has significant cardiovascular benefits.

“If you are an older adult over the age of 70, start with trying to get 500 more steps per day.”

Many health organisations recommend hitting 10,000 steps a day, although there is little evidence for the target, which is believed to have arisen from a Japanese marketing campaign in the 1960s.

In the run-up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Yamasa, a Japanese company, sought to capitalise on the sudden interest in fitness, designing the world’s first wearable step-counter which they called the Manpo-kei, or “10,000-step meter”.

The company appears to have chosen the figure at random, as a fun goal, but it has stuck ever since.

More up-to-date research has found health effects can plateau after 4,500 steps, while others suggest that between 6,000 and 8,000 is the sweet spot for fighting chronic illness such as heart problems and cancer.

Speed will also play a role, with some studies suggesting that shorter bouts of brisk walking is more effective for health than higher step counts at a moderate pace.

The new study analysed health data for 452 people and found that 3.5 per cent of those who walked about 4,500 a day had a cardiovascular event compared with 12 per cent of those who walked fewer than 2,000 steps per day.

The research was presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions in Boston.