A long-term follow-up study spanning 20 years has gained attention for revealing the correlation between walking habits and disease prevention.

 

Walking 8,000 steps a day and brisk walking for 20 minutes among them can effectively prevent most lifestyle-related diseases and chronic illnesses.

 

 

This study was conducted by the Aging Control Research Team at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center in Japan, targeting approximately 5,000 residents aged 65 and older living in Gunma Prefecture.

 

The research team collected physical activity data from residents over a period of 20 years and tracked the incidence of lifestyle-related diseases. To gather the data, they attached activity monitors to the waist belts or lower limbs and analyzed walking patterns and intensity.

 

Exercise intensity was classified into low, moderate, and high levels. In particular, moderate-intensity exercise was defined as brisk walking or a pace fast enough to converse, or a level that causes light sweating. Research results confirmed that such moderate-intensity exercise is effective in minimizing cell damage while enhancing recovery ability.

 

Walking 8,000 steps daily and brisk walking for 20 minutes reduced the incidence of lifestyle-related diseases to one-tenth. Among the study participants, 90% of those who practiced this pattern remained healthy without major illnesses.

 

The research team named this the "Golden Walking Ratio" and also discovered that practicing it for at least two months activates the switch of longevity genes.

 

 

On the other hand, walking less than 2,000 steps a day and not engaging in brisk walking increases the likelihood of becoming frail and living a sedentary life.

 

This study demonstrates that walking exercise plays a key role not only as a simple health habit but also in disease prevention and longevity, and it is used as a standard indicator for walking exercise by various health organizations worldwide.

 

The discovery by the Japanese research team offers practical health tips for everyday life and provides a useful guide for many people. By walking 8,000 steps a day and briskly walking for 20 minutes, you can achieve both a healthy life and disease prevention.