A new global review of data has found that increasing the number of daily steps taken, even at modest levels, is associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms. The Spanish study, led by Estela Jimenez-Lopez of the University of Castile-La Mancha, discovered that up to a level of about 10,000 steps per day, the odds for depression decline as daily step levels rise. The findings were published in the journal JAMA Network Open on December 16.
Exercise has long been known to be a natural antidepressant, but the researchers wanted to investigate if something as simple as walking could have similar benefits. They analyzed data from 33 high-quality studies involving over 96,000 adults worldwide, including individuals who used fitness-tracker devices to monitor their daily steps.
Compared to a baseline of 5,000 steps per day, those who took an additional 1,000 steps daily experienced a 9% decrease in their odds for developing depression. The benefits continued to increase with more steps: individuals who walked 7,000 steps per day had a 31% lower odds for depression compared to those walking 5,000 steps or less. Counts above 7,500 steps per day were associated with a 43% lower prevalence of depression, with these trends observed across all age groups and genders.
However, there appeared to be a plateau in mental health benefits at around 10,000 steps per day. Beyond this threshold, there was no significant reduction in depressive symptoms. The researchers suggest that walking, along with other forms of physical activity like aerobics, weight training, yoga, and tai chi, can help prevent depression.
Setting goals for the number of daily steps may be a promising public health strategy for depression prevention, according to the study authors. For more information on the benefits of walking, the American Heart Association offers additional resources.
