Walking 9,800 Steps a Day May Cut Dementia Risk in Half

• Read original article here

En español
September 20, 2022
Hitting that step goal on your smartwatch could have benefits beyond bragging rights or a good calorie burn. A  new study  finds that older adults who got in just under 10,000 steps a day — 9,800, to be exact — were 50 percent less likely to develop dementia. Even those who racked up 3,800 daily steps saw a 25 percent reduction in risk.
The findings, published in JAMA Neurology, add to a growing body of evidence that physical activity is just as important for the brain as it is for the body, and that more accessible exercises, such as walking , may be able to get the job done.
Join Now
“I think this reinforces recommendations that we can make to people that walking, in and of itself — and brisk walking, preferably — is likely to be beneficial,” says Ron Petersen, M.D., director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, who was not involved in this latest research.
For the observational study, a team of researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia and the University of Southern Denmark monitored the daily step count of 78,430 adults ages 40 to 79 who were enrolled in the UK Biobank study and who wore an accelerometer on their wrist to measure their physical activity.
After a seven-year follow-up period, the researchers discovered that a higher number of steps per day was associated with a lower risk of dementia . They also discovered that speed matters. In fact, walking at a faster pace resulted in benefits “above and beyond” the number of steps achieved, the study authors noted in a news release.
“It'd be great if we can all get close to 10,000 steps, but that’s a quite a lot,” says Makoto Ishii, M.D., a neurologist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. According to the Mayo Clinic, most Americans take between 3,000 and 4,000 steps a day. “But maybe if we can increase the rate and make it this very purposeful kind of power walking for shorter time periods even, that might be even more beneficial,” Ishii adds.
A  separate study , conducted by the same group of researchers and published Sept. 12 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, found that walking — and likewise, faster walking — was also associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and death.
AARP NEWSLETTERS
See All
See more Health & Wellness offers >
{"hideCategory":false,"useAlternateLanguage":false,"headlineIconAltText":"","listItems":[{"categoryTitle":"Health \u0026 Wellness","categoryUrl":"/benefits-discounts/?category\u003dhealthandwellness","categoryDeeplinkParam":"healthandwellness","isLimitedTimeOffer":false,"offerJson":{"offer_id":"","offer_title":"Special Content for Members","offer_short_title":"","offer_short_description":"Access AARP health Smart Guides, articles \u0026 special content","featured_offer":"","last_updated_by":"","offer_description":"\u003cp\u003eEnjoy access to curated articles, essays, films and more, just for AARP members.\u003c/p\u003e","redemption_type":"","created_by":"","country_code":"","tab_label_offer_details":"Details","tab_label_restrictions":"Disclosures","restrictions_label":"Disclosures","restrictions":"","offer_status":"","national_offer_flag":"","language_code":"","offer_type":"EverGreen","asi_category":"","line_of_business":"","merchant_name":"","marketing_details":"","member_exclusive_flag":"no","parent_brand":"","source_name":"AARP Members Only Access to Special Health Content","alternate_source_name":"","business_id":"","offer_video_thumbnail":"","image_url":"/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/social-mission/member-only/1140x641-members-only-health-group-older-people-in-field-walking-yellow-flowers.jpg","vertical_image_url":"/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/social-mission/member-only/258x334--members-only-health-group-older-people-in-field-walking-yellow-flowers.jpg","provider_image":"","provider_logo":"","offer_video_path":"","offer_copy_video_path":"","interstitial_title":"","interstitial_desc":"You\u0027ll leave AARP.org and go to the website of a trusted provider. The provider\u0027s terms, conditions, and policies apply.","created_user_role":"","is_no_end_date":"","advertisement_flag":"","advertisement_sort_order":"","disclaimer_label":"","disclaimer":"","merchant_logo":"","show_phone_number_above_cta":false,"merchant_phone_label":"","merchant_phone":"","howto_redeem_label":"How to Access","howto_redeem_expired":"Renew to Learn More","howto_redeem_expired_2":"Renew to Learn More","howto_redeem_expired_link":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid\u003dUMBC121HE\u0026intcmp\u003dMBCHAE-AUTH-RENEW\u0026referrer\u003dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fbenefits-discounts%2Fmembers-only-access","howto_redeem_expired_link_2":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew","howto_redeem_non_member":"Join to Learn More","howto_redeem_non_member_2":"Join to Learn More","howto_redeem_non_member_link":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid\u003dUMBC121HE\u0026intcmp\u003dMBCHAE-AUTH-JOIN\u0026referrer\u003dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fbenefits-discounts%2Fmembers-only-access","howto_redeem_non_member_link_2":"https://secure.aarp.org/applications/membershipChallenge/showChallengeForm.action?appName\u003daccount","howto_redeem_anonymous":"Join to Learn More","howto_redeem_anonymous_2":"Join to Learn More","howto_redeem_anonymous_link":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid\u003dUMBC121HE\u0026intcmp\u003dMBCHAE-AUTH-JOIN\u0026referrer\u003dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fbenefits-discounts%2Fmembers-only-access","howto_redeem_anonymous_link_2":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid\u003dUASMBP1\u0026intcmp\u003dEWHERE-MBCHAE-LP-MMA-JOIN","howto_redeem_already_registered_anon_label":"Already a member?","howto_redeem_already_registered_anon":"Login now.","howto_redeem_already_registered_nonmember_label":"Already a member?","howto_redeem_already_registered_nonmember":"Link your membership","howto_redeem_already_registered_nonmember_link":"https://secure.aarp.org/applications/membershipChallenge/showChallengeForm.action?appName\u003daccount","howto_redeem_already_registered_anon_link":"https://login.aarp.org/online-community/loginform.action?campaignid\u003dUMBC121HE\u0026referrer\u003dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fbenefits-discounts%2Fmembers-only-access","howto_redeem":"Learn More","howto_redeem_2":"Learn More","howto_redeem_url":"https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/members-only-access","howto_redeem_url_2":"","show_redeem_cta_2":false,"howto_redeem_desc":"Get access now with your AARP login. ","is_redeemable_in_person":"","howto_redeem_in_person":"","howto_redeem_cta_phone":"","howto_redeem_phone_instructions":"","howto_redeem_online_instructions":"","show_state_availability":"","state_availability_text":"SEE AVAILABILITY IN YOUR STATE","cardlinked_flag":"","ty_interstitialText":"Thanks for visiting aarp.org! Come back again to check out all of the AARP Member Benefits and unlock the full power of membership.","ty_ctaText":"Continue","ty_socialMissionFlag":"false","hideRestrictionsTab":"false","hideLeavingAARP":"false","hide_lto":"","lto_model_heading":"Limited Time Member Offers","lto_model_heading_spanish":"Ofertas para socios por tiempo limitado","lto_advertisement":"Member Exclusive Advertisement","lto_advertisement_spanish":"Anuncios publicitarios exclusivos para socios","lto_daysleft":"Days Left","lto_daysleft_spanish":"Días restantes","geoloc_experience_type":"full_location","geoloc_tab_label":"Locations","geoloc_tab_label_spanish":"Ubicaciones","geoloc_hide_tab":"true","geoloc_find_location_label":"Find a Location","geoloc_find_location_label_spanish":"Encuentre una ubicación","geoloc_tab_hint_text":"Enter an address, city, or ZIP","geoloc_tab_hint_text_spanish":"Ingresa tu dirección, ciudad o código postal","geoloc_search_icon":"","geoloc_total_results_label":"Result(s)","geoloc_total_results_label_spanish":"Resultado(s)","geoloc_see_more_button_text":"See More","geoloc_see_more_button_text_spanish":"Ver más","geoloc_see_more_label_text":"See More","geoloc_see_more_label_text_spanish":"Ver más","geoloc_see_more_limit_option":"","geoloc_provider_link_cta":"Learn more about this benefit by visiting the provider website","geoloc_provider_link_cta_spanish":"Obtenga más información sobre este beneficio visitando el sitio web del proveedor","geoloc_provider_link_cta_url":"","geoloc_provider_legal_info":"You will leave AARP.org and go to the website of a trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions, and policies apply.","geoloc_provider_legal_info_spanish":"Dejarás el sitio de AARP y accederás al de un proveedor confiable. Aplican los términos, las condiciones y políticas del proveedor. Este sitio web podría no estar disponible en español.","geoloc_no_results_view_message":"There are no locations within a 100 mile radius. Please try another location","geoloc_no_results_view_message_spanish":"No hay ubicaciones dentro de un radio de 100 millas. Intenta con otra ubicación","geoloc_mobile_list_cta":"LIST VIEW","geoloc_mobile_list_cta_spanish":"VISTA DE LA LISTA","geoloc_mobile_list_cta_url":"","geoloc_mobile_map_cta":"MAP VIEW","geoloc_mobile_map_cta_spanish":"VISTA DEL MAPA","geoloc_mobile_map_cta_url":"","geoloc_mobile_button_cta":"VIEW MORE","geoloc_mobile_button_cta_spanish":"VER MÁS","geoloc_mobile_button_cta_url":"","geoloc_show_results_within_label_text":"Show results within","geoloc_show_results_within_label_text_spanish":"Mostrar resultados dentro","geoloc_miles_label_text":"Miles","geoloc_miles_label_text_spanish":"Millas","geoloc_hide_see_more_button":"false","geoloc_hide_see_more_button_spanish":"false","rewardId":"","hide_r4g_badge":"","redemption_content":"","authentication_code_provider":"","authentication_code_provider_2":"","pixel_view_offer_value":"","pixel_learn_more_value":"","is_redeemable_only_in_person":false,"offer_keywords":["health content for members","health articles","heath and wellness","health content","member only health ","health reports"],"offer_keywords_spanish":[],"deeplink_url":"/benefits-discounts/?offer\u003dmembers-only-access-health","deeplink_param_value":"members-only-access-health","offer_page_path":"/benefits-discounts/all/members-only-access-health/","offer_page_data":"/content/aarpe/en/home/benefits-discounts/all/members-only-access-health/_jcr_content/.dataview.json","offer_page_modal":"/benefits-discounts/all/members-only-access-health.modalview/","evol_offer_page_path":"/membership/benefits/health/members-only-access/","evol_offer_page_modal":"/membership/benefits/health/members-only-access/","dbr_offer_id":"9158e656e84ce8d55188b39247721643","image_alt_text":"two couples walking in a field of yellow flowers","vertical_image_alt_text":"older men and women couples walking in field of yellow roses","provider_logo_alt_text":"","provider_image_alt_text":"","offer_date_status":"n/a","image_url_width":"1140","image_url_height":"641","image_cdn_uri":"https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/social-mission/member-only/1140x641-members-only-health-group-older-people-in-field-walking-yellow-flowers.imgcache.rev7e7f93a5d03d1f30bcf1803a64811a61.jpg","vertical_image_cdn_uri":"https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/social-mission/member-only/258x334--members-only-health-group-older-people-in-field-walking-yellow-flowers.imgcache.revfd63427363b637f9f99bffbb7f2029de.jpg","vertical_image_url_width":"258","vertical_image_url_height":"334","provider_image_cdn_uri":"","provider_logo_cdn_uri":"","provider_image_width":"","provider_image_height":"","provider_logo_width":"","provider_logo_height":"","authentication_code_provider_url":"","authentication_code_provider_2_url":"","tags":[{"tagID":"dbr:healthandwellness","title":"Health \u0026 Wellness","svgPathCdn":"https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/icons/HealthWellness-protection e661.imgcache.rev5df459ddbe96856228fcb7f2b8a0d195.svg","name":"healthandwellness","deeplink_url":"/benefits-discounts/?category\u003dhealthandwellness","deeplink_param_value":"healthandwellness","get_offers_url":"/etc/aarp/dbr/ws.api/offers/healthandwellness.json","sub_tags":[]}],"ltos":[],"lto_daysleft_start_control":30,"master_brand":"members-only-access-health","analytics_brand":"AARP Members Only Access to Special Health Content","analytics_offerid":"members-only-access-health","category_list":"healthandwellness","subcategory_list":"","dbr_offer_type":"socialmission","offer_timing":"anytime","parent_offer_page_path":"","append_aid_paramter":"","enable_utm_parameters":"false","taxonomy_general_category":"healthy-living","taxonomy_level_1":"healthy-eating"},"parentOfferJson":{}}]}
About 19 percent of Americans say they use a wearable fitness tracker or mobile health app to keep track of their physical activity, a 2019 Gallup poll found. A 2020 report from Pew Research came to a similar conclusion: About 21 percent of adults regularly wear a smartwatch or wearable fitness tracker.
“It’s really a great resource that these investigators have utilized,” Ishii says. “It’s applicable to real life. These are step counts, things that anyone with a smartphone or a smartwatch or pedometer could easily [track].”
Current public health guidelines, including  those issued  by AARP’s Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH), say that older adults should move as much as they can throughout the day and aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity (such as brisk walking), plus a few days of strength training. Still, nearly half of adults 45 and older aren’t meeting the recommendations, according to a 2019 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“I think that this [latest study] is supportive of many of the recommendations that have been out there,” says Petersen, who serves on the GCBH governance committee. “But this lends some hard data to getting out there and walking and engaging in a regular pattern of walking.” He cautions that people with certain heart or respiratory conditions should check in with their doctor before starting an exercise program.
The study evaluated a large number of people in midlife as well as later life — the average age was 61 — over a relatively long period of time.  “The researchers are helping to establish what the right ‘dose’ of exercise might be, answering questions the GCBH raised about the duration and intensity of exercise needed to show results in midlife,” said Sarah Lenz Lock, AARP’s senior vice president for policy and brain health and executive director of GCBH.   
AARP NEWSLETTERS