30-min run or 10k steps? Study reveals which is better for weight loss

• READ MORE: Experts reveal

Reaching a daily step count of at least 10,000 steps has been a widely accepted benchmark for fitness for many years.

The advantages of a plant-based diet include increased longevity and a decreased risk of heart disease.

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston conducted a four-year study on a vast dataset of almost 15,000 female participants who were all over the age of 62.

All participants wore activity tracking devices to monitor their physical activity and filled out health surveys annually.

The team discovered that walking around 8,000 to 8,500 steps every day resulted in a 40 percent decrease in the risk of heart disease, in comparison to those who managed only about 3,000 steps per day.

Moreover, they discovered that a daily exercise duration of 75 minutes was associated with the same risk reduction, potentially implying that tracking or measuring daily steps may not be essential.

It has been suggested by certain specialists that a specific exercise amount, often referred to as a "magic" number, does not in fact exist;

Dr. Rikuta Hamaya, lead researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital, noted that "for many people, particularly younger ones, exercise can include activities such as tennis, soccer, walking, or jogging, which can all be easily monitored by tracking progress in steps."

For some individuals, reaching fitness goals may involve more dynamic activities like cycling or swimming, which enables easier monitoring of exercise duration. Consequently, general physical activity guidelines should acknowledge and incorporate various methods for achieving objectives.

Every person experiences movement uniquely, and virtually all types of physical activity contribute positively to one's health.

The research team identified 14,399 women aged 62 or older, who were deemed to be in good health, owing to the absence of heart disease or cancer among them, with an average age of 72.

From 2011 to 2015, the women wore a wearable fitness tracker on their hips for 24/7, both during sleep and while bathing.

The researchers conducted annual surveys on various health-related habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption, as well as details on height, weight, menopausal status and prior medical histories of the respondents.

These tests were utilized in order to assess the participants' likelihood of succumbing to heart disease and mortality.

The team maintained contact with the women until the end of 2022.

Study participants averaged 62 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity weekly and took around 5,183 steps daily. Over the course of the study period, 9% of participants succumbed to death, while 4% developed heart disease by the year 2022.

The women were grouped based on their level of physical activity, measured in minutes exercised or total number of steps taken.

According to the team's analysis, individuals who dedicated a significant amount of time to physical activity (approximately 200 minutes) as well as those who took a considerable number of steps (around 8,000 to 8,500) showed a marked reduction in the risk of heart disease and mortality rates, an effect that was observed to be as high as 40 percent lower compared to those who engaged in minimal physical activity (nine to 12 minutes or roughly 2,800 to 3,000 steps).

The research's results suggest that patients have the option to select between a step-based or a time-encumbered goal in order to lessen their risk of death or cardiovascular disease,' the researchers note.

'These facts strengthen the argument for including both time-based and step-based guidelines in future PA recommendations, allowing individuals to decide and monitor their preferred activity metric according to their needs.'

Therefore, healthcare professionals may direct female patients in their sixties or older to set either timing-based or step-counting based goals for tracking their physical activity levels, based on their personal preferences.

The study had several limitations, with the majority of participants being Caucasian and having a higher socio-economic standing. Moreover, the research methodology was observational in nature, limiting the certainty of the findings.

.

Read more