Health update - the low down on Walking

From an npr nesletter in my morning e-mail

A new study reviewed data collected from more than 160,000 adults around the world on the link between step count and a variety of health outcomes, and suggests a new goal. After 7,000 steps, “there seems to be diminishing return on investment for increasing more steps," says Melody Ding, a professor of public health at the University of Sydney who headed up the data review. Compared to people who got in just 2,000 steps a day, 7,000-steppers’ chance of developing Type 2 diabetes fell by 14%, cardiovascular disease by 25%, symptoms of depression by 22% and dementia by 38%.

And don’t worry if you’re a slowpoke – researchers found a health benefit no matter the speed of your stride.

If you’re not into walking, that’s also fine. The point is to get physical activity. You can translate 1 mile of walking (approximately 2,000 steps) into one-fifth of a mile of swimming or 5 miles of cycling, says Dr. William Kraus, a cardiologist who studies exercise at Duke University.

"Everybody wants to know how little I need to do. That is the wrong question," says Kraus, "Anything is better than nothing — more is better than less."