{"id":139,"date":"2011-01-16T08:13:55","date_gmt":"2011-01-16T02:43:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.anilsinghal.com\/blog\/?p=139"},"modified":"2018-07-21T23:53:10","modified_gmt":"2018-07-21T18:23:10","slug":"walk-3000-steps-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anilsinghal.com\/blog\/walk-3000-steps-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Walk 3000 steps for your best health"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the last 2 months I am trying to reach my target of walking 10,000 (ten thousand) steps a day. I do walk nearly 5000 steps<\/strong> during my daily walk<\/strong>, and planning to increase this to 8000 steps so that I can make it to 10000 steps a day.<\/p>\n

Well, a more recent recommendation is 3,000 steps, five days a week, especially to reduce risk of diabetes.<\/p>\n

The research, by the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, involved 592 middle aged adults who took part in a national study to map diabetes levels across Australia between 2000 and 2005.<\/p>\n

At the start of the study, participants completed a detailed diet and lifestyle questionnaire and underwent a thorough health examination. They were also given a pedometer and instructed how to use it. Participants were monitored again five years later.<\/p>\n

Other lifestyle factors, such as diet, alcohol and smoking were taken into account.<\/p>\n

A higher daily step count over five years was associated with a lower body mass index, lower waist to hip ratio, and better insulin sensitivity.<\/p>\n

These associations were independent of dietary energy intake and appeared to be largely due to a change in adiposity (fatness) over the five years, say the authors.<\/p>\n

The authors estimate that, in their setting, a sedentary person who takes a very low number of daily steps but who was able to change behaviour over five years to meet the popular 10,000 daily step guideline would have a threefold improvement in insulin sensitivity compared with a similar person who increased his or her steps to meet the more recent recommendation of 3,000 steps for five days a week.<\/p>\n

They conclude: “These findings, confirming an independent beneficial role of higher daily step count on body mass index, waist to hip ratio, and insulin sensitivity, provide further support to promote higher physical activity levels among middle aged adults.”<\/p>\n

Benefits of Walking<\/h2>\n

By walking every day, diabetics can have the following benefits:<\/p>\n

– Improved blood glucose control. Exercise helps body muscles absorb blood sugar, preventing it from building up in the bloodstream. This effect can last for hours or even days, but it’s not permanent. That’s why walking regularly is essential for continued blood glucose control.<\/p>\n

– Better cardiovascular or heart fitness. Because people with diabetes are at increased risk for heart disease, this is a most important benefit.<\/p>\n

– Weight control or maintaining ideal body weight. Regular walking burns calories; this can help control body weight, which in turn can reduce health risks.<\/p>\n