Battling Depression One Step at a Time: How Walking Boosts Mental Health |
Can walking really help with depression? A new global review of data suggests that increasing your daily step count, even by modest amounts, can reduce depressive symptoms.
A Spanish study found that up to 10,000 steps per day, the likelihood of depression decreases as the number of daily steps increases.
The findings were published on December 16 in the journal JAMA Network Open.
Researchers led by Estela Jimenez-Lopez of the University of Castile-La Mancha noted that there is already strong evidence that any type of exercise acts as a natural antidepressant. But what about walking?
To investigate, they examined data from high-quality studies on daily step counts and their connection to mental health.
The review covered 33 studies involving more than 96,000 adults worldwide, including those who used fitness-tracker devices to count their daily steps.
Compared to a baseline of 5,000 steps per day, individuals who took even 1,000 more steps daily saw a 9% reduction in their risk of developing depression, the researchers found.
The benefits quickly accumulated: Compared to those walking 5,000 steps or less per day, those who walked 7,000 steps daily had a 31% lower risk of depression, the study showed.
"Additionally, counts above 7,500 steps per day were associated with a 43% lower prevalence of depression," Jimenez-Lopez and colleagues wrote, noting that these trends were consistent across all age groups and both genders.
There appeared to be a plateau in mental health benefits at around 10,000 steps per day, according to the data.
As seen in studies on physical health, "increasing the number of steps beyond 10,000 per day may not be associated with a significant reduction in depressive symptoms," the researchers wrote.
The new findings add walking to the list of physical activities—including aerobics, weight training, yoga, and even tai chi—that can help prevent depression.
The bottom line: "Setting goals for the number of daily steps may be a promising and inclusive public health strategy for the prevention of depression," the study authors concluded.
A Spanish study found that up to 10,000 steps per day, the likelihood of depression decreases as the number of daily steps increases.
The findings were published on December 16 in the journal JAMA Network Open.
Researchers led by Estela Jimenez-Lopez of the University of Castile-La Mancha noted that there is already strong evidence that any type of exercise acts as a natural antidepressant. But what about walking?
To investigate, they examined data from high-quality studies on daily step counts and their connection to mental health.
The review covered 33 studies involving more than 96,000 adults worldwide, including those who used fitness-tracker devices to count their daily steps.
Compared to a baseline of 5,000 steps per day, individuals who took even 1,000 more steps daily saw a 9% reduction in their risk of developing depression, the researchers found.
The benefits quickly accumulated: Compared to those walking 5,000 steps or less per day, those who walked 7,000 steps daily had a 31% lower risk of depression, the study showed.
"Additionally, counts above 7,500 steps per day were associated with a 43% lower prevalence of depression," Jimenez-Lopez and colleagues wrote, noting that these trends were consistent across all age groups and both genders.
There appeared to be a plateau in mental health benefits at around 10,000 steps per day, according to the data.
As seen in studies on physical health, "increasing the number of steps beyond 10,000 per day may not be associated with a significant reduction in depressive symptoms," the researchers wrote.
The new findings add walking to the list of physical activities—including aerobics, weight training, yoga, and even tai chi—that can help prevent depression.
The bottom line: "Setting goals for the number of daily steps may be a promising and inclusive public health strategy for the prevention of depression," the study authors concluded.
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health