We’ve all heard the mantra that reaching ‘10,000 steps’ a day is the golden ticket to better health, but one top ageing expert suggests keeping fit might be easier than we think.
Dr Valter Longo, who leads the University of Southern California Longevity Institute, is at the forefront of ageing research. He suggests that adhering to certain lifestyle principles makes it possible to ‘stay young’ well into our later years, despite the average UK adult living to around 80.
In his view, exercise is non-negotiable. During a conversation with nutrition journalist Andrew in 2019, Dr Longo reportedly mentioned that aiming for 10,000 daily steps or climbing 20 flights of stairs is certainly beneficial.
However, his blog indicates that simply walking briskly for an hour each day could suffice. “Walk fast for an hour every day,” Dr Longo wrote online.
“On the weekend, walk everywhere, even faraway places (avoid polluted areas as much as possible).” The NHS notes similar thoughts, suggesting that walking for hours isn’t compulsory to enjoy the perks of mild physical activity.
Even just a ‘brisk’ (around 3mph) walk for 10 minutes daily can burn calories and build stamina while potentially strengthening heart well-being. For those uncertain about their pace, the NHS endorses the Active 10 app, which is freely available for smartphones and gives tips on how to speed up your walks.
Professor Claire Steves, an expert in ageing from King’s College London, also shared that walking for just under an hour three times per week could significantly bolster brain health.
Speaking on the ZOE Podcast, she previously said: “So, to improve your cognitive health, you need to do more exercise than you’re doing now – up to a point – unless you’re an Olympic athlete.
“That’s the key thing. If we look at really big population studies, we can see effects, even with minimal levels of exercise, and it’s fairly linear…So, whatever you’re doing, if you go up by a third, you’ll be improving yourself.”
However, Dr Longo suggests there’s more to health than just walking. In his blog, he emphasised that ‘moderate exercise for two-and-a-half to five hours a week’, including activities in the ‘vigorous range’, is beneficial for longevity.
Recent findings from the University of Bristol support this, indicating that regular aerobic exercise could be crucial in reducing specific Alzheimer’s markers. Aerobic workouts like swimming, running, jogging, and walking increase heart rate and oxygen consumption.
Although the research initially involved mice, the team hopes that human studies will show similar results and is planning broader clinical trials to confirm its findings. Professor Longo also wrote: “Most of the beneficial effects appear to be caused by the first [two-and-a-half] hours of exercise, making the additional exercise optional.”