15,000 steps - the new rule of health

Why exactly 15,000 steps

In the collaborative study, Time spent in sedentary posture is associated with waist circumference and cardiovascular risk. Three British universities determined the relationship between how much a person walks, sits and stands, and the risk of heart disease.

The study involved postal workers from Glasgow: 55 office workers and 56 postmen who carried mail, mostly on foot. All participants had their body mass index, waist size, blood sugar and cholesterol levels measured, all of which are risk factors for heart disease.

Study participants who spent most of the day sitting had higher body mass index, blood sugar and cholesterol levels compared to those who moved more.

In fact, by sitting for more than 5 hours a day, each additional hour the subjects increased their risk of heart disease by 0.2%.

Workers walking 15,000 or more steps every day or standing for 7 hours or more had a normal body mass index, a moderate waist, and a low risk of metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome - an increase in the mass of visceral fat, a decrease in the sensitivity of peripheral tissues to insulin and hyperinsulinemia, which disrupt carbohydrate, lipid, purine metabolism, as well as arterial hypertension.

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What's more, the risk of heart disease in mobile workers was significantly lower than in those who walked fewer than 15,000 steps per day.

The researchers hypothesized that this is the number of steps that should be taken into account in order to reduce the likelihood of developing heart disease.

Is it realistic to take 15,000 steps a day while sedentary?

If you count without taking into account the stride length of a particular person, 15,000 steps is 10 kilometers. At an average speed of 5 km / h, this distance can be covered in two hours.

Not everyone has two hours of free time for this kind of activity, but it is not necessary to walk all 10 kilometers at once: you can break walking into small segments and distribute them according to your schedule.

For example, you can walk 30 minutes before work: walk to the office, get to a distant stop, or park your car further from the building. The same can be done after work.

You can also take a walk at lunchtime or in the evening, after dinner, instead of a passive rest, go for a walk.

Forget the elevator, walk for a few stops, or add short 10-minute walks throughout the day, and you can walk 15,000 steps every day and keep your heart healthy.