Walking is recommended for the prevention of dementia. Scientists from different countries sought to calculate the optimal number of steps to reduce the risk of dementia and slow down neurodegenerative processes in the brain.

In a study conducted at Harvard University (USA) from 1991 to 1999, the relationship between the distance traveled per day and the incidence of dementia was calculated. The study involved 2257 men aged 71 to 93 years. As a result, after adjusting for comorbidities, diet, and bad habits, the researchers found that people who walked less than 400 meters a day had a 1.8-fold increased risk of dementia compared to people who walked more than 3.2 kilometers.

Another study, conducted at the University of Western Australia from 2004 to 2007, involved 138 people over 50. Participants who walked 9,000 more steps per week were found to have 2.3 times better scores on the Alzheimer’s Disease Rating Scale.

However, these studies did not take into account walking intensity. Researchers at the University of Southern Denmark have investigated this aspect of dementia prevention, as walking power can be critical to calculating the optimal number of steps. Scientists called optimal walking the one that minimized the risk of developing dementia.

Study Design

Experts used data from pedometers of 78,430 people aged 40 to 79 (men – 45%, women – 55%). The average age of the participants is 61 years. All participants wore pedometers on their dominant hand for at least 16 hours a day, more than 3 days a week. The study was conducted from 2013 to 2021.

None of the participants had dementia, cardiovascular disease, or cancer at the start of the study. The development of dementia was recorded in cases of hospitalization, emergency calls, or death.

The scientists used the following walking intensity parameters:

  • Random steps – less than 40 steps per minute. For example, walking from one room to another.
  • Purposeful steps – more than 40 steps per minute. For example, during a workout.
  • Peak stride intensity – the cumulative 30-minute period when the highest stride intensity was recorded. Moreover, this period could consist of small intervals of intensive walking at different times during the day.

The scientists adjusted the data to exclude the influence of age, gender, bad habits, family and concomitant diseases, dietary habits, education level, and socioeconomic status. The researchers also excluded cases where dementia developed during the first 2 years of follow-up, which increased the reliability of the results.

Results

  • The optimal number of steps to reduce the risk of dementia was 9826, slightly less than the well-known recommendation for the daily activity of 10,000 steps.
  • More intensive steps are most effective for preventing dementia – they reduce the risk of dementia more.
  • The optimal peak walking intensity was 112 steps per minute.
  • The optimal number of purposeful steps is 6315.
  • The optimal number of random steps is 3677.
  • The minimum amount of walking that reduces the risk of dementia by 50% was 3826 steps.
  • No minimum number of steps was found that would not have a positive effect.
  • During the study, 866 people developed dementia – a little over 1% of the participants. The average age of patients is 68 years, men – 45%, women – 55%.

The results of the study are presented in the graphs, where the risk of developing dementia depends on the following:

  • from the total number of steps (diagram A);
  • on the number of random steps (diagram B);
  • on the number of purposeful steps (diagram C);
  • the intensity of steps during the peak 30-minute activity (diagram D).

Image source: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2795819

Findings

9826 steps per day are the optimal amount for the prevention of dementia. The most helpful walking is intensive, with a frequency of 112 steps per minute.

Adjusting the intensity of walking to reduce the risk of dementia can significantly reduce the number of cases and delay the onset of dementia.

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