[One Day Ten Thousand Steps] Copenhagen University Professor: "The First Step Is to Escape from Nothingness"

Visiting Copenhagen, the World's Most Walkable City ④
Interview with Bente Klarlund Pedersen, Professor at University of Copenhagen
Discovery of 'Myokine,' a Dementia-Preventing Hormone Released During Exercise

"Reducing Step Count Negatively Affects Physical and Mental Health"
"Public Transportation Is Essential Infrastructure for Walking"

Professor Bente Klarlund Pedersen of Rigshospitalet at the University of Copenhagen is known in Denmark as the "walking evangelist." Her 2009 book, "WALK-UP-sa gar det bedre" ("Walk, It Will Get Better"), became a bestseller in Denmark, serving as a "walking guidebook." In recognition of her continuous efforts to promote the importance of walking through various lectures, she received an award from the Danish Pedestrian Association in 2019.

Academically, she is a researcher who has conducted various studies on the importance of walking. In 2003, she announced the discovery of the myokine hormone, which is secreted when muscles contract during exercise. Following Professor Pedersen's discovery, myokines have been shown through numerous subsequent studies to promote fat breakdown, helping prevent dementia and aiding in weight loss, as well as suppressing arterial inflammation to prevent arteriosclerosis.

True to her role as a walking evangelist, Professor Pedersen starts her day every morning with walking and running. She leaves her home around 5:40 a.m. and walks or runs for about 45 minutes daily. Regarding this routine, she explained, "As a professor, it is to maintain physical and mental health." Given that her main job involves long hours of sitting, along with diverse activities such as writing and preparing lectures, she maintains a habit of walking separately beyond commuting or grocery shopping.

Professor Bente Klarlund Pedersen's book 'Walk, It Will Get Better (WALK-UP-sa g?r det bedre)'

She stated, "Walking can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as help prevent dementia," asserting that the habit of walking has mental benefits beyond simple physical health. Professor Pedersen elaborated that activities like walking, running, and dancing stimulate the production of hormones such as serotonin and dopamine, which provide mental relief. Additionally, levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) increase, stimulating the hippocampus, enhancing memory, and reducing the risk of dementia.

So, how many steps should one take daily to achieve these effects? Professor Pedersen recommends "around 10,000 steps if it is not too strenuous," adding that "beyond that, the benefits may not increase proportionally with more walking." She emphasized the importance of gradually increasing steps, as 10,000 steps might be too much initially. She said, "10,000 steps is not a 'magic number,' so I hope people do not feel pressured. It is important to set appropriate goals according to one's physical condition." She continued, "The key is to move away from doing 'nothing.' I recommend starting with small goals, such as walking 2,000 steps, then 4,000, and gradually increasing to 8,000 steps."

Professor Pedersen also repeatedly stressed the need to tailor exercise strategies according to health status. She said, "If you are healthy, it is good to add exercises that raise your heart rate and make you breathless to the point where talking is difficult, in addition to 10,000 steps." Conversely, she noted, "For older adults who may not be in such good health, simply walking well is important." Her recommended walking method is "interval walking," which involves alternating between fast and slow walking approximately every three minutes. She also explained that walking uphill to stimulate the heart is beneficial.

Professor Bente Klarlund Pedersen [Image source: Book 'Walk, You Will Get Better']

She shared the results of an experiment she conducted. Young, healthy individuals who typically walked an average of 10,000 steps per day were deliberately restricted to walking only about 1,500 steps daily. Within two weeks, their physical condition rapidly deteriorated. Their overall fitness levels declined, post-meal blood sugar levels rose indicating prediabetes symptoms, visceral fat increased, and even cognitive abilities worsened. Professor Pedersen emphasized, "If you start moving less, it immediately affects your physical and mental health," and stressed, "Healthy people should basically walk as much as possible."

She also mentioned that Copenhagen has sufficient infrastructure to support this. Professor Pedersen explained, "Copenhagen has pedestrian-friendly infrastructure," adding, "Having beautiful and safe environments with many green spaces like parks encourages more walking." She noted that well-developed public transportation infrastructure also helps create a walkable city. She said, "When public transportation is well established, people will walk to subway stations or bus stops to use it," and added, "A good public transportation system is an indispensable part of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure."