Forget the mandatory 10,000 steps that many fitness enthusiasts insist you must clock to stay fit. Any additional steps you take each day could help reduce depression symptoms, according to a new study published last week in JAMA Network Open, a peer-reviewed open-access journal. A higher daily step count is associated with fewer depressive symptoms, says the study, conducted by an international team of researchers.
“Our study provides further evidence that encouraging people to be active, regardless of the type or intensity of the activity, is an effective strategy for preventing depression,” said lead author of the study Dr Bruno Bizzozero-Peroni, as reported by CNN. Dr Bruno Bizzozero-Peroni is a postdoctoral researcher at the Health and Social Research Centre, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, that carried out the study along with researchers from Uruguay, Chile, and Ecuador.
The research was a meta-analysis of 33 observational studies involving 96,173 adults. Its findings state that higher daily step counts were associated with fewer depressive symptoms in the general adult population. Achieving 5,000 or more steps was associated with reduced depressive symptoms in cross-sectional studies (studies that involve data from a single point of time), as compared to a lower count, whereas a daily step count of 7,000 or higher was associated with lower risk of depression in prospective studies (conducted over a certain period).
The data suggested that the number of steps linked to reduced depression symptoms is fewer than you might think, Dr Karmel Choi, clinical psychologist and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, told CNN. Choi was not involved in the research. “We typically hear it’s good to get 10,000 steps a day, but here, even 7,000 steps seem to translate to better mental health,” she said.
So, How Many Steps A Day Do YOU Need To Achieve?
The idea that taking 10,000 steps a day is the key to good health has been ingrained in popular culture for years. According to research by a UK body called Puregym, not a single country collaboratively hits the 10,000-step mark each day. Yet, there are countries that do exceed the global average of 5,833 steps. As per Puregym findings too, it seems more steps could be the route to happiness.Nordic countries Sweden and Finland, which rank among the top 10 happiest countries, also rank among the top 10 by the number of steps, with an average of 6,461 and 5,999 per day, respectively. India is on the other end of the scale, with a baseline average of 4,872 steps, alongside the likes of Brazil (4,057 steps), and South Africa (4,376 steps).
Given India’s assumed daily average baseline of 4,872 steps a day, just over 2,100 extra steps in a day can potentially reduce the risk of future depression, going by the latest study.
More studies are needed, however, because the research included in the meta-analysis was largely observational and focused on the general population rather than people with clinical depression, the CNN report noted. While more movement is associated with a reduction in depression symptoms, depression cannot be averted or treated with this alone. The condition is governed by other factors as well, and it’s best treated as per the advice of a qualified medical practitioner.
Walking Is Therapy And Medicine
Health experts agree that walking as a regular activity can help reduce your risk of these common health problems:
- Heart disease
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Depression
The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking. But you don’t have to jump feet-first into the 150-minute goal. You can start by adding 1,000 steps to your routine every 15 days to gradually reach the goal your doctor advises for you.
How To Include More Steps In Your Day
- Take the dog for a walk. Yours, or your friend’s/neighbour’s
- Dance alone at home to music
- Go for post-meal walks with colleagues/friends/family members
- Skip mails/phone calls, walk to your colleague’s desk to exchange notes
- Hold walking discussions or meetings
- Walk while waiting for an appointment or waiting for a flight
- Park farther away. If you take the bus, get off one stop before. Walk the remainder of the path
- Take the stairs. Not just climbing, even going down the stairs counts as steps and helps burn calories.
The writer is an independent journalist.
[Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified medical practitioner or healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your physical or mental health or a medical condition.]