Walking reduces the risk of developing depression. (archive image)
Keystone
The number of steps taken each day influences the risk of depression. Walking longer distances reduces the risk by almost a third. This is the result of an analysis of existing studies published by Spanish scientists.
Keystone-SDA
13.01.2025, 05:56
SDA
Bruno Bizzozero-Peroni and his co-authors from the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain published a corresponding evaluation of studies with around 96,000 test subjects in the online publication of the American Medical Association (JAMA Network Open).
"Recent scientific evidence has supported the protective effect of daily steps in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. However, recommendations based on the number of steps should also take into account other health effects," wrote Bizzozero-Peroni and his co-authors. The question was therefore whether objectively measured steps per day could be related to depression in adults.
1000 steps more, nine percent less risk
The researchers analyzed 33 studies in which the daily steps taken were measured using devices. Data from 96,173 test subjects was therefore available. The main results: With an increase of 1000 steps per day, the frequency of depression occurring was reduced by nine percent in each case. Taking more than 7,000 steps per day reduced the risk of depression by 31 percent compared to people who took fewer than 7,000 steps per day.
Compared to a largely sedentary lifestyle (less than 5,000 steps), taking more than 10,000 steps per day approximately halved the risk of developing depression. The systematic review found "that higher daily step counts were associated with fewer depressive symptoms in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in the general adult population", the Spanish scientists summarized their analysis.