Woman walking (stock image).Photo:Getty Stock Photo
Getty Stock Photo
A recent study found that increasing your daily step count may reduce symptoms — as well as risk —of depression.
This outcome was discovered after researchers reviewed 33 pre-existing studies involving 96,173 adults. The researchers found that people who walk 5,000 or more steps per day generally felt less depressed than those who walked fewer than 5,000. What’s more, people who walk 7,000 or more steps per day typically have a lower risk of becoming depressed over time.
“Our results showed significant associations between higher numbers of daily steps and fewer depressive symptoms as well as lower prevalence and risk of depression in the general adult population,” the study’s authors wrote. They added that these findings, “suggest that an inclusive, comprehensive public health approach could contribute to preventing depression in adults.”
These findings are also significant as they suggest that people may need fewer steps per day than previously believed to reap significant benefits. “We typically hear it’s good to get 10,000 steps a day, but here, even 7,000 steps seem to translate to better mental health,” Dr. Karmel Choi, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School (who is unaffiliated with the study)told CNN.
Group of women walking (stock image).Getty Stock Photo
“Step count is a nice proxy for physical activity, which has been consistently shown to have beneficial effects on depression risk,“ she said, adding, “That said, we should remember that step counts best capture certain kinds of movement, such as walking or running, and may be less well-suited to captureactivities like yoga.”
“Choose the metric that is most motivating to you,” she continued. “Whether it’s steps or hours, the mental health literature consistently suggests that moving to some extent is better than not moving at all.”
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Choi was also careful to note that correlation does not necessarily mean causation: 5,000 steps a day may not actually affect depression, and people with depression may merely move less, which could also explain the observed results of the JAMA study.
If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
source: people.com
