Walking is one of the most recommended activities to be minimally fit because each person can do it at the most appropriate pace for their physical condition and it is not harmful to the joints, which is why it has become the exercise that doctors most prescribe to their patients. of all ages. In addition, in addition to the benefits it provides at a cardiovascular level, its positive effects on mood are also added.
The number of steps recommended to obtain all its physical and psychological health benefits is the subject of scientific studies, and now new research published in JAMA Network Open has found that adults who walked at least 5,000 steps each day had fewer symptoms of depression compared to those who walked less.
The researchers also found that the benefits increased the more people walked; Thus, those who reached 7,500 steps a day experienced a 42% reduction in depression symptoms. Although they did not analyze whether the benefits stop increasing after a certain number of steps, they did observe that even an increase of 1,000 steps a day can reduce the risk of depression. They also found that those who took 7,000 or more steps daily had a significantly lower risk of developing depression compared to those who walked less.
Walking as a complement to standard anti-depression therapy
To carry out the new research, its authors reviewed the results of 33 previous studies that evaluated whether walking reduces depressive symptoms in adults and that included a total of 96,173 participants. Additionally, they performed a meta-analysis combining data from 29 studies, allowing a larger data set to be analyzed. Most studies used smartphones, pedometers, or other wearable devices to record the number of daily steps for seven days, although one study did so for a year.
The main criterion was a diagnosis of depression or self-reported symptoms of this condition, although some studies excluded people with moderate or severe depressive symptoms at baseline. The study has some limitations. For example, it is possible that people who had fewer depressive symptoms walked more because they felt better physically.
Study results reinforce evidence that higher levels of physical activity protect against the development of depression
Additionally, the study did not examine whether other factors, such as social interactions during accompanied walking, could have influenced the decrease in depressive symptoms. It is also suggested that the environment may be relevant: connecting with nature has been shown to improve mood.
The results are consistent with previous studies that found that older adults who walked more than 7,000 steps a day had a 29% lower risk of depressive symptoms after two years. They also reinforce evidence that higher levels of physical activity protect against the development of depression.
The authors highlight that even small increases in daily steps can make a difference, so habits such as climbing stairs instead of taking the elevator or parking the car further away from the destination should be incorporated into the daily routine, and in their article they conclude that “Further prospective cohort studies are needed to clarify the possible protective role of daily steps in mitigating the risk of depression during adulthood.”
