The Nutrient: Steps prevent death, Screening kids for anxiety, 86 year-old bodybuilder

Research

Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts

It's 10,000, right?

This study looked at data from 15 studies and over 47k people to determine the association between steps taken per day and death by any cause.

Of the 47,471 people in this 7 year study, 3,013 people died. If you're interested in longevity like I am, you might be wondering what the difference was between the 6% who died and the 94% who survived.

Here are the two main findings:

• Adults aged 60+: A progressively decreasing risk of death (from any cause) with increasing number of steps until 6,000-8,000 steps per day.
• Adults younger than 60: A progressively decreasing risk of death with increasing number of steps until 8,000-10,000 steps per day.

Takeaway
If you're not walking on a daily basis you could be missing out on a low-energy way to increase your lifespan. This research found that increasing the number of steps  you take each day might be beneficial in terms of reducing risk of mortality. This was especially true for those who currently aren't walking. That said, step intensity (rate of steps) did not have an association with delaying death. The benefit plateaus, however, depending on your age, but the 10,000 steps per day guideline is still close enough. Like I always say, a long life is a step-by-step process.

News

Task Force Recommends Depression, Anxiety Screenings for Children

The task force concluded children 12 to 18 years old should be screened for depression, and children 8 to 18 be screened for anxiety. Why? Nearly 8 percent of kids aged 3 to 17 years have an anxiety disorder. Also, both anxiety and depression are associated with suicide, which is the second-leading cause of death among kids aged 10 to 14.

“Current cultural and environmental stressors have significantly impacted the risk of developing depression and anxiety in youth, further illustrating the importance of early screening and intervention to prevent escalation of severity of symptoms." – Dr. Zishan Khan, a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist

Article

86-Year-Old Bodybuilder Breaks Own Record, Becomes Oldest to Ever Compete in Japan

“I'm still not anywhere near the finish line. It's important to keep setting goals and taking on challenges no matter how old you are,” Kanazawa says. “I'd like to set myself as an example to other grandpas and grandmas in the world by living healthy until 100.”

This article is worth reading for the pictures alone. There's walking 8,000 steps per day and then there's spending 3 hours in the gym each day. Both are valid ways to live longer.

Words of the week

“I'm not perfect; no, I step in shit all the time and recognize it when I do. I've just learned how to scrape it off my boots and carry on.”
― Matthew McConaughey, Greenlights

Scrape it off and take care.

Dr. Rondo