Latest news with #PaddyDempsey


Free Malaysia Today
29-07-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
7,000 steps ‘enough to significantly boost health'
Walking 7,000 steps a day is linked to 38% reduction in risk of dementia, depression (22%) and diabetes (14%), as well as lower rates of cancer and falls. (Envato Elements pic) PARIS : People who walk 7,000 steps a day have a dramatically lower risk of a broad range of serious health problems, according to the largest review of evidence yet. The most widely promoted target for people tracking their number of steps is 10,000 – but that figure reportedly originally came from a 1960s marketing campaign for a Japanese paedometer. To find a more scientific target, an international team of researchers sifted through 57 previous studies that covered 160,000 people. The results, published in Lancet Public Health, found that walking 7,000 steps a day nearly halved people's risk of early death from all causes, compared to 2,000 steps. The study also looked into health problems not previously covered by research into step counts. Walking 7,000 steps a day was linked to dementia risk falling by 38%, depression by 22%, and diabetes by 14%. It was also associated with lower rates of cancer and falls, though the researchers warned this was based on less evidence. 'You don't need to hit 10,000 steps a day to get major health benefits,' Paddy Dempsey, a study co-author and medical researcher at Cambridge University, told AFP. 'The biggest gains happen before 7,000 steps, and then benefits tend to level off.' While people's speeds vary widely, 7,000 steps adds up to roughly an hour of walking throughout the day. Dempsey emphasised that people already managing 10,000 or more steps should keep it up. But he had a message for people who might find 7,000 steps daunting: 'Don't be discouraged.' 'If you're only getting 2,000-3,000 steps a day, aim to add an extra 1,000 steps. That's just 10-15 minutes of light walking spread across the day,' he advised. Andrew Scott, a researcher at the University of Portsmouth not involved in the study, said 'it demonstrates that overall, more is always better'. 'People should not focus too much on the numbers, particularly on days where activity is limited,' he added. The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity a week. Nearly a third of people worldwide do not reach this target, according to WHO.


Japan Today
28-07-2025
- Health
- Japan Today
Walking 7,000 steps a day a huge boost to health: research
Step up: Walking even just a little more every day could have big health benefits People who walk 7,000 steps a day have a dramatically lower risk of a broad range of serious health problems, the largest review of the evidence yet said. The most widely promoted target for people tracking their number of steps is 10,000 -- but that figure reportedly originally came from a 1960s marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer. To find a more scientific target, an international team of researchers sifted through 57 previous studies that covered 160,000 people. The results published in the Lancet Public Health journal found that walking 7,000 steps a day nearly halved people's risk of early death from all causes, compared to 2,000 steps. The study also looked into health problems not previously covered by research into step counts. Walking 7,000 steps a day was linked to people's risk of dementia falling by 38 percent, depression dropping 22 percent and diabetes decreasing 14 percent. It was also associated with lower rates of cancer and falls, though the researchers warned this was based on less evidence. "You don't need to hit 10,000 steps a day to get major health benefits," Paddy Dempsey, a study co-author and medical researcher at Cambridge University, told AFP. "The biggest gains happen before 7,000 steps, and then benefits tend to level off," he said. While people's speeds vary widely, 7,000 steps adds up to roughly an hour of walking throughout the day. Dempsey emphasised that people already managing 10,000 or more steps should keep it up. But he had a message for people who might find 7,000 steps daunting: "don't be discouraged". "If you're only getting 2,000–3,000 steps a day, aim to add an extra 1,000 steps. That's just 10–15 minutes of light walking spread across the day," he said. Andrew Scott, a researcher at the University of Portsmouth not involved in the study, said that "it demonstrates that overall more is always better". "People should not focus too much on the numbers, particularly on days where activity is limited," he added. The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity a week. Nearly a third of people worldwide do not reach this target, according to the WHO. © 2025 AFP


GMA Network
25-07-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
Walking 7,000 steps a day a huge boost to health
People walk around the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City despite monsoon rains on July 25, 2025. Photo: Virgil Lopez/GMA Integrated News PARIS, France - People who walk 7,000 steps a day have a dramatically lower risk of a broad range of serious health problems, the largest review of the evidence yet said. The most widely promoted target for people tracking their number of steps is 10,000 -- but that figure reportedly originally came from a 1960s marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer. To find a more scientific target, an international team of researchers sifted through 57 previous studies that covered 160,000 people. The results published in the Lancet Public Health journal found that walking 7,000 steps a day nearly halved people's risk of early death from all causes, compared to 2,000 steps. The study also looked into health problems not previously covered by research into step counts. Walking 7,000 steps a day was linked to people's risk of dementia falling by 38 percent, depression dropping 22 percent and diabetes decreasing 14 percent. It was also associated with lower rates of cancer and falls, though the researchers warned this was based on less evidence. "You don't need to hit 10,000 steps a day to get major health benefits," Paddy Dempsey, a study co-author and medical researcher at Cambridge University, told AFP. "The biggest gains happen before 7,000 steps, and then benefits tend to level off," he said. While people's speeds vary widely, 7,000 steps add up to roughly an hour of walking throughout the day. Dempsey emphasized that people already managing 10,000 or more steps should keep it up. But he had a message for people who might find 7,000 steps daunting: "don't be discouraged.'' "If you're only getting 2,000–3,000 steps a day, aim to add an extra 1,000 steps. That's just 10–15 minutes of light walking spread across the day," he said. Andrew Scott, a researcher at the University of Portsmouth not involved in the study, said that "it demonstrates that overall more is always better.'' "People should not focus too much on the numbers, particularly on days where activity is limited," he added. The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity a week. Nearly a third of people worldwide do not reach this target, according to the WHO. —Agence France-Presse

Bangkok Post
24-07-2025
- Health
- Bangkok Post
Walking 7,000 steps a day a huge boost to health: research
PARIS - People who walk 7,000 steps a day have a dramatically lower risk of a broad range of serious health problems, the largest review of the evidence yet said Thursday. The most widely promoted target for people tracking their number of steps is 10,000 -- but that figure reportedly originally came from a 1960s marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer. To find a more scientific target, an international team of researchers sifted through 57 previous studies that covered 160,000 people. The results published in the Lancet Public Health journal found that walking 7,000 steps a day nearly halved people's risk of early death from all causes, compared to 2,000 steps. The study also looked into health problems not previously covered by research into step counts. Walking 7,000 steps a day was linked to people's risk of dementia falling by 38 percent, depression dropping 22 percent and diabetes decreasing 14 percent. It was also associated with lower rates of cancer and falls, though the researchers warned this was based on less evidence. "You don't need to hit 10,000 steps a day to get major health benefits," Paddy Dempsey, a study co-author and medical researcher at Cambridge University, told AFP. "The biggest gains happen before 7,000 steps, and then benefits tend to level off," he said. While people's speeds vary widely, 7,000 steps adds up to roughly an hour of walking throughout the day. Dempsey emphasised that people already managing 10,000 or more steps should keep it up. But he had a message for people who might find 7,000 steps daunting: "don't be discouraged". "If you're only getting 2,000–3,000 steps a day, aim to add an extra 1,000 steps. That's just 10–15 minutes of light walking spread across the day," he said. Andrew Scott, a researcher at the University of Portsmouth not involved in the study, said that "it demonstrates that overall more is always better". "People should not focus too much on the numbers, particularly on days where activity is limited," he added. The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity a week. Nearly a third of people worldwide do not reach this target, according to the WHO.


eNCA
24-07-2025
- Health
- eNCA
Walking 7,000 steps a day a huge boost to health: research
NEW YORK - People who walk 7,000 steps a day have a dramatically lower risk of a broad range of serious health problems, the largest review of the evidence yet said. The most widely promoted target for people tracking their number of steps is 10,000 -- but that figure reportedly originally came from a 1960s marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer. To find a more scientific target, an international team of researchers sifted through 57 previous studies that covered 160,000 people. The results published in the Lancet Public Health journal found that walking 7,000 steps a day nearly halved people's risk of early death from all causes, compared to 2,000 steps. The study also looked into health problems not previously covered by research into step counts. Walking 7,000 steps a day was linked to people's risk of dementia falling by 38 percent, depression dropping 22 percent and diabetes decreasing 14 percent. It was also associated with lower rates of cancer and falls, though the researchers warned this was based on less evidence. "You don't need to hit 10,000 steps a day to get major health benefits," Paddy Dempsey, a study co-author and medical researcher at Cambridge University, told AFP. "The biggest gains happen before 7,000 steps, and then benefits tend to level off," he said. While people's speeds vary widely, 7,000 steps adds up to roughly an hour of walking throughout the day. Dempsey emphasised that people already managing 10,000 or more steps should keep it up. But he had a message for people who might find 7,000 steps daunting: "don't be discouraged". "If you're only getting 2,000–3,000 steps a day, aim to add an extra 1,000 steps. That's just 10–15 minutes of light walking spread across the day," he said. Andrew Scott, a researcher at the University of Portsmouth not involved in the study, said that "it demonstrates that overall more is always better". "People should not focus too much on the numbers, particularly on days where activity is limited," he added. The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity a week. Nearly a third of people worldwide do not reach this target, according to the WHO.