Low daily step count linked to dementia and stroke risks. It’s time to put your trusty phone in charge

In an age of conveniences, getting a daily workout has become increasingly difficult, which is reflected in the rising tide of obesity and related illnesses. Even something as simple as a few thousand steps daily is becoming difficult in a life that binds us to a desk, while cars and Ubers take away the remaining chances of walking a few thousand steps daily. Well, it’s time to reconsider those habits.

The big shift

According to fresh research, if you walk fewer than 5,000 steps daily, the risks of dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or stroke significantly go up. To put a number on it, the risks are twice as high compared to people who walk at least 12,000 steps on a daily basis. The study is yet another stark reminder of how even a low-effort daily activity is tied to your long-term cardiovascular and brain health.

The study, which was presented at the 151st Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association (ANA), covered fitness wearable data collected from more than 22,000 users across a full year. “People in the least-active group were more likely to have obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and depression than those in the more active groups,” the experts behind the study mentioned in a press statement.

As activity declined, the rates of diagnosis of dementia, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, or transient ischemic attack went up by 80% between the most and least active groups of users. For users who walked 8,000 or 12,000 steps on a daily basis, they also recorded lower BMI (Body Mass Index) and reduced rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression.

Your phone can be a savior

Now, at this point, you might be thinking that you need a wearable device, like a smartwatch, fitness band, or a smart ring, to track your steps. Well, that won’t be necessary if you just want to keep an eye on your steps. The step count data recorded by your phone is nearly as accurate as a wearable device. And you don’t even need to carry your phone in your hand. Keeping it in your jeans pocket while walking will do just a fine job of counting your steps in the background.

According to research published in the journal Sensor, which measured the accuracy of six mobile apps against fitness bands, “the accuracy of the smartphone applications is comparable to that of the wearable fitness wristbands.” Another study published by experts at the University of Pennsylvania, which had participants walking on a treadmill while wearing a variety of fitness wearables, found that the phone apps were more accurate than fitness bands.

Of course, in the years that have passed, the accuracy of wearables has definitely increased, but smartphone apps continue to be a reliable way to count steps. The Google Fit app, for example, can record your steps using the sensor fitted inside your phone. Google is sunsetting this app soon and migrating users to the more advanced Health Connect app, so you might want to download the new one. Alternatively, you can download third-party apps such as StepsApp Pedometer, Pacer Pedometer, and more.