How many steps should you take per day to maintain your health?

Practice a physical activity or sport every day contributes to the prevention of certain diseases and promotes the maintenance of good physical conditionand at the same time helps fight against a sedentary lifestyle, one of the bad habits that make us age. A recommendation also valid for people over 60, but with a specific intensity. Activities such as cycling, swimming or even tennis promote long-term effort with a intensity average, which improves the functioning of certain organs. However, among the sports activities Recommended for seniors, walking is one of those with the most health benefits.

Physical activity: here is the number of daily steps to take after 60?

10,000 steps per day?

To be in good healthyou should take 10,000 steps per day. But according to whom? Indeed, this bar of 10,000 steps is not a official recommendation of the Health Organization. This is a recommendation dating from 1964. Yamasa Corporation, a Japanese company, had launched, for the Olympic Games, a pedometer which bore the name Manpo-kei with the slogan Let's walk 10,000 steps a day. Then it was picked up all over the world. Even today, this recommendation is very shared.

The exact number of steps according to the WHO

In March 2022, an article published in The Lancetshowed that the protective effect of this bar of 10,000 steps per day is not the same before and after 60 years. The article is a meta-analysis on the relationship between the number of steps per day and mortality individuals over 18 years old. It turns out that if the advice taking between 8,000 and 10,000 steps per day for those under 60 helps limit the risk of certain diseases and improvelife expectancyit is possible that 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day is enough for seniors, reports They have feminine.

For the less sporty

According to the World Health Organization, after age 60, walking one hour a day is enough to maintain good physical condition. However, for seniors less sportsmenthe minimum recommended number of steps is 4,400 per day, or a walk of 2.5 and 3 km per day. Generally speaking, the elderly people are encouraged to take an average of between 4,400 and 7,500 steps per day. For the most motivated, the ideal is to manage to take between 6,000 and 8,000 steps per day. It is also essential to respect the recommended duration of your daily physical activity.

The benefits of walking for people over 60

Decrease in mortality and certain diseases

Walking, in the long term, helps maintain your physical condition. In addition, it contributes to the reduction of mortality. It has been proven that the mortality rate East weak in people who, throughout the week, respect the number of steps recommended by the WHO. However, among seniors who walk 2,700 steps per day, mortality is higher. Apart from reducing mortality, walking helps reduce tension and diabetes, protects against cardiovascular diseases and prevents the risk of developing certain cancers common among seniors.

Positive effects on memory

Whether it is walking or another sport, physical activity for older people has a positive effect on memory. Likewise, walking guarantees good muscle maintenance and solidifies the bones. Walking promotes the release of hormones called endorphins who act like natural antidepressants. According to ANSES data, “only 5% of adults have sufficient physical activity to be protective”.

According to a neurologist

Walking is a sporting practice that guarantees many benefits. Therefore, it can be adopted by everyone. According to the explanations of Professor Amarenco, in the columns of Current Womannot everyone can comply with intense physical activity, due to knee problem or from behind, from a overweight or due to age. And walking is one of the substitutes to offer. However, it is essential to remember that the number of daily steps varies depending on age.