A study led by the University of Granada has made sure for the first time the number of steps at which most people can get health benefits. The study has provided the first scientific evidence for how many steps you need to take per day to reduce the risk of premature (过早的) death: about 8,000 steps. Given the length of a human step, taking 8,000 steps is just like walking about 6.4 kilometers a day.

The researchers conducted a systematic literature review and analysis of data from twelve international studies involving more than 110,000 participants. The results are in line with other recent studies, which show that health benefits are got at about 8,000 steps.

“What makes our study different is that, for the first time, we set clear step aims. It shows that measurable benefits can be got with small increases in the number of steps per day, and that for people with low levels of physical activity, every additional 500 steps improves their health. This is good news because not everyone can walk almost 8,000 steps a day, at least not at first, so you can set small, reachable goals and gradually make progress and increase the number of steps per day,” explains Esmée Bakker, one of the lead authors of the study.

So, should we stop walking when we reach around nine thousand steps? “Absolutely not,”   Francisco B. Ortega, another lead author of the study, said firmly. “More steps are never bad. Our study showed that even as many as 16.000 steps a day does not pose a risk; on the contrary, there are additional benefits compared to walking 7,000-9,000 steps a day.”

The study gives people clear and easily measurable goals. Here lies the importance of the study—to provide simple and concrete (具体的) aims for the number of daily steps that people can easily measure with their phones or smartwatches, and thereby contribute to people’s health.

Not long ago, no one understood that infectious diseases were caused by tiny organisms that moved from person to person. Even now, although we know that tiny living microbes cause disease, how they do so is not always obvious. 【小题1】 They can also be transmitted through our skin through insect or animal bites. The best way to prevent infections is to block pathogens(病菌)from entering the body.

The first line of defense is to keep germs at bay by following good personal health habits. Wash your hands well. You probably wash your hands after using the bathroom, before preparing or eating food, and after gardening or other dirty tasks. 【小题2】 Wet your hands thoroughly. Lather(泡沫)up with soap or cleanser, and rub it into the palms and backs of your hands and your wrists. Be sure to clean your fingertips, under your nails and between your fingers. Wash under running water. 【小题3】

Whether you are young or young at heart, getting vaccinated(接种疫苗)is an essential part of staying healthy. 【小题4】 such as a temporarily sore arm or low fever, they are generally safe and effective. Vaccinations are essential if you are to avoid getting sick. In general, children should receive the recommended childhood vaccinations. Adults should make sure their vaccinations are up to date. When traveling abroad, check with your health care provider about additional immunizations(免疫).

【小题5】 Stay clear of wild animals. Many wild animals, including bats, foxes and coyotes, can spread the virus to humans by biting. Keep your pets away from wild animals, too. Dogs, cats or any other type of warm-blooded animal can pick up the virus and pass the virus along to people.

Bad News for the Highly Intelligent

There are advantages to being smart. People who do well on IQ tests tend to be more successful in the classroom and the workplace. They also tend to live longer, healthier lives, and are less likely to experience negative life events.

【小题1】 In a study, Ruth Karpinski and her colleagues carried out a study on the members of Mensa, a high IQ society. The study covered mood disorders and anxiety disorders. Respondents were asked to report whether they had ever suffered from each disorder. The researchers compared the percentage of those who reported disorder to the national average and found that Mensa’s highly intelligent members were more likely to suffer from a range of serious disorders.

To explain their findings, Karpinski and his team bring up the hyper brain and hyper body theory. This theory holds that, for all of its advantages, being highly intelligent is associated with psychological and physiological “overexcitabilities”, or OE. 【小题2】This can include anything from an astonishing sound to conflict with another person. According to the theory, OEs are more common in highly intelligent people. A highly intelligent person may overanalyze a disapproving comment made by a boss, imagining negative outcomes that simply wouldn’t occur to someone less intelligent. 【小题3】

The results of this study must be interpreted (诠释) cautiously. Showing that a disorder is more common in a sample of people with high IQs than in the general population doesn’t prove that high intelligence is the cause of the disorder. 【小题4】All the same, the findings set the stage for research that promises to cast new light on the link between intelligence and health. One possibility is that associations between intelligence and health outcomes reflect pleiotropy (基因多效性), which occurs when a gene influences seemingly unrelated characteristics. 【小题5】 In a 2015 study, Rosalind Arden and her colleagues concluded that the association between IQ and living longer is mostly explained by genetic factors.   From a practical standpoint, this research may lead to insights about how to improve people’s psychological and physical well-being.