Sedentarism is a 21st-century issue characterized by an inactive lifestyle which can lead to weakening and atrophy of the muscles and an increased risk of injuries. In this context, more and more doctors recommend spending time outdoors and practicing physical activity because of their beneficial effects.
The impact of sedentarism
Sedentarism is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, causing illnesses such as depression, hypertension, obesity, colon cancer, diabetes and others. Because of such statistics, it is highly recommended to perform daily physical activities. According to the US National Institutes of Health, an extra hour in a sedentary position per day is associated with a 22% higher risk of type 2 diabetes and a 39% higher risk for metabolic syndrome.
The disease-free solution
Fighting the negative effects, say physicians, is possible through a dynamic lifestyle, which is why people are encouraged to take 10,000 daily steps. The history of this concept is rooted in 1964 in the period of the Olympic Games hosted by Japan when a pedometer company launched a marketing campaign promoting 10,000 steps a day as a solution to lower the risk of illness. The popularity of this concept was due to the adoption of large-scale practice and the acquisition of the Manpo-Meter stepping-stone tool. Initially, there were no studies on the subject, but research was subsequently conducted such as those presented by PubMed, demonstrating that 10,000 daily steps can improve blood pressure in men with hypertension, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, increase mental well-being and contribute to weight loss.
Activity Ranking
In the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Catrine Tudor-Locke and Bassett introduced a graduated step index for healthy adults:
Sedentary people who decide to change their lifestyle are advised to adjust each day the number of steps to reach the goal of 10,000.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26831300
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2782938/
https://journals.humankinetics.com/doi/abs/10.1123/jpah.7.3.299
https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1479-5868-8-79
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