We’ve all heard, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, but here’s a new one to think about, “an hour a day keeps the weight away”. Walking that is. According to a new study in the October issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, American adults walk less than adults in some other countries with lower obesity rates.
Researchers compared 1,136 U.S. adults wearing pedometers with adults involved in similar studies in Australia, Japan and Switzerland. The mean number of steps Americans take in a day is 5,117, compared with 9,695 for Australians, the walking leaders among the four countries. The USA's 34% adult obesity rate is more than double Australia's 16%.
What can we do? Walk more! According to the same study, fewer than 5,000 steps are considered sedentary. So we need to walk 10,000 or more steps a day to be considered active adults. Put your shoes on and head outside for a walk or a game of your favorite sport. Take a stroll around the mall before you start your shopping. While a work, get up and walk around the office every 20 or 30 minutes. There are lots of ways to get your steps in and it doesn’t take a lot of time. Since most of us spend our days at work, have you ever counted to see how much you really walk during the day? If so, tell us what you do and what part of your job gives you the most steps. We want to hear; share with us on Facebook.
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