DOH, foundation, Olympic silver medalist call on public to walk 10,000 steps a day for good health

Over the years, the Department of Health (DOH) and the non-government Hope Foundation have been promoting what the World Health Organization (WHO) calls the “nearest activity to perfect exercise” — walking — to help the elderly and people with sedentary lifestyles to stay healthy.

A number of walking routes have been selected and published by the DOH and the foundation to showcase to people from home and abroad that not only can walking be done easily, but also that Taiwan is one of the best places to enjoy it.

According to research conducted by the DOH's Bureau of Health Promotion (BHP), 64 percent of the country's population doesn't get enough exercise, especially once they leave school and reach adulthood, when the daily amount of exercise notably decreases and as a result, many chronic diseases start to emerge.

Since 2002, the bureau and Hope Foundation have been promoting the idea that “10,000 steps a day makes you healthier” — the equivalent of a distance of 8km — to encourage people to walk more and maintain a healthier lifestyle. Cardiac and respiratory systems benefit from a 10 minute daily walk, while excess fat will start to be metabolized from a 20 minute walk, according to the BHP.

Chi Cheng, president of the Hope Foundation, and an Olympic medalist, has long been an enthusiastic advocate of the benefits of walking. She said in a recent interview with CNA that walking 10,000 steps a day is the best health choice for today's busy people who live sedentary lifestyles.

“Walking is the safest and most economical exercise and is suitable for men, women, children and the elderly,” said the former world record holder, who won a bronze medal in the 80-meter hurdles at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.

“It can be done at any time and any place and at one's own discretion,” she pointed out.

According to Chi, walking 10,000 steps a day is not at all difficult to achieve and when people are accustomed to the exercise, they will tend to find themselves creating opportunities to walk more because it is actually “instinctive and natural.”

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