Walking 7,000 steps a day a huge boost to health

[buksida]

People who walk 7,000 steps a day have a dramatically lower risk of a broad range of serious health problems, the largest review of the evidence yet said Thursday.

The most widely promoted target for people tracking their number of steps is 10,000 -- but that figure reportedly originally came from a 1960s marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer.

To find a more scientific target, an international team of researchers sifted through 57 previous studies that covered 160,000 people.

The results published in the Lancet Public Health journal found that walking 7,000 steps a day nearly halved people's risk of early death from all causes, compared to 2,000 steps.

The study also looked into health problems not previously covered by research into step counts.

Walking 7,000 steps a day was linked to people's risk of dementia falling by 38 percent, depression dropping 22 percent and diabetes decreasing 14 percent.

It was also associated with lower rates of cancer and falls, though the researchers warned this was based on less evidence.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/30748 ... h-research

Walking anywhere in Thailand is a challenge due to the oppressive heat, moon-like pavement surfaces, collapsing drains, and lunatic drivers trying to kill you. I try to get my walking and running done up Hin Lek Fai where there are some nice quiet trails away from the whacky racers.

[STEVE G]

^Yes, there are plenty of routes around the Hin Lek Fai area where you can run/walk/cycle without too much bother.
I like to walk the beaches, either Hua Hin, Khao Takiup or Khao Tao normally.
One of my favourite routes is from Khao Tao, go 3/4 of the way around the lake and then cut through to the road to Had Sanoi and from that beach over the top of the hill to the big Buddha statue and down through the temples back to Khao Tao and then through to that beach and along there as far as I want to walk and back to Khao Tao.
The only thing about walking the beaches is that you need to use tide tables or a tide app to get the timing right.

[PeteC]

On-line roughly calculates that 7,000 normal distance steps is about 5.5KM.

[migrant]

I can't walk long on the beach after 5 foot/ankle surgeries and one knee. Where in Hin Lek Fai are there trails? Thanks!

[STEVE G]

^The routes I know are not trails but on local roads.
I live in that area bordered by the 3218 road, the bypass, Black Mountain golf and the hills above the city. Within that area there are a maze of minor roads that are safe to walk around.

[404cameljockey]

I guess walking on sand (even partially impacted sand near the waterline) is harder than walking on a road or path? Is 5000 steps on sand enough I wonder?

[STEVE G]

^It depends very much on the sand. When the tide is out, the flat area above the water is about as perfect a surface as you could possibly walk on but anything else, depending on the angle of the beach and the consistency of the sand can get more difficult to the point where it’s almost impossible for any length of time.

[migrant]

^It depends very much on the sand. When the tide is out, the flat area above the water is about as perfect a surface as you could possibly walk on but anything else, depending on the angle of the beach and the consistency of the sand can get more difficult to the point where it’s almost impossible for any length of time.

You're right. We lived on the beach in Bangsaphan and I would walk carefully when possible. Hitting a soft spot angling my ankle though was common, and painful!

[STEVE G]

^I used to walk a lot in forests around Luxembourg but I started getting similar problems from constantly stepping on rocks and tree roots so I now tend to walk along rivers which have more consistent paths.

[buksida]

I can't walk long on the beach after 5 foot/ankle surgeries and one knee. Where in Hin Lek Fai are there trails? Thanks!

They run all around the hill and go to the top on the western side, most clearly marked. However, they are rocky/dirt paths through the jungle, so not ideal if you have bad ankles or knees. Just walking up the hill on the road from the boxing gym to the top a couple of times is a good cardio workout.

[STEVE G]

^Ok, the Hin Lek Fai lookout behind the city. I used to cycle up there 20 years ago but a more gentle form of exercise is required now!
I’ll try a walk up there on the trails though, where do you start from?

[buksida]

I start at the Muay Thai gym and head west up the hill. Used to start at the bottom, but its too dangerous as the drivers seem to go out of their way to try and run you off the road.

[STEVE G]

Ok, thanks, I’ll give that a go one day.