Heart diseases have been considered the leading cause of death globally. According to the World Heart Federation, in the year 2021, 20.5 million (more than two crore) people died due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is about one-third of all deaths globally. Till a few decades ago, it was considered a disease that occurs with aging, although now it is also being seen in younger people. This is the reason why health experts advise all people to take constant precautions and take measures to keep the heart healthy.
To keep the heart healthy, it is most important to be physically active along with consuming nutritious food. Some studies show that if we all make it a habit to walk daily, then the risk of heart-related diseases can be reduced to a great extent.
In such a situation, the question is, how many steps should be taken daily, so that the heart can be kept healthy and fit? Let's know about this.
Walk to keep the heart healthy.
To know the answer to this question, experts did a detailed study. In the findings published in the journal Circulation, scientists said that people over the age of 60 should definitely walk 6,000 to 9,000 steps per day, this can reduce the risk of heart disease to a great extent.
Analysis using health data of 20,152 individuals from 42 other countries including the United States has found that the habit of walking regularly can be very beneficial for you. If you make a habit of walking daily from an early age, then it can not only keep the heart healthy but it can also protect you from diseases caused by physical inactivity.
What did the studies reveal?
The researchers said that walking is beneficial for overall health. Young people should aim to walk 10,000 steps per day. This is helpful in maintaining their overall fitness. With this one habit, you can not only reduce the risk of heart attack and heart disease, but it is also helpful in protecting you from many types of chronic diseases.
The findings of the study show that people who walk 6,000 to 9,000 steps per day have a 40 to 50% lower risk of heart diseases such as heart attack or stroke. The more you walk, the more beneficial it is for overall health.
What do the researchers say?
Dr. Amanda Paluch, a Physical Activity Epidemiologist at the University of Massachusetts, says, the analysis found that people who walk 15,000 steps per day have a significantly lower risk of CVD. If you are unable to walk 15,000 steps, you can still stay healthy by walking 10,000 steps.
If you make a habit of walking daily in youth, then it is definitely enough to keep you safe from many types of health problems in the future.
Young people should also be careful.
Dr. Paluch says that CVD is still considered mainly a disease of older people. However, this does not mean that young adults should not pay attention to their heart health. Since the Corona epidemic, this risk is also seen increasing rapidly among the youth.
The habit of walking and being physically active is also helpful in protecting from the heart and its major factors such as high blood pressure, obesity, and type-2 diabetes. All people should walk daily.
(PC: Freepik)
