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Experts reveal the truth about walking for health and it’s not 10,000 steps a day
Confirmed
In Short: While many people believe they should aim for 10,000 steps per day, researchers have revealed that walking at a quicker pace could offer identical health benefits to longer, more leisurely strolls, according to a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Findings from the study, which monitored nearly 65,000 individuals, indicate that taking 80 steps per minute while completing under 5,000 steps per day can be just as effective as logging 5,000 to 7,500 steps at a rate of 60 steps per minute.
Analysis showed that the risk of death was substantially lower among those achieving a higher stepping pace (at least 80 steps per minute) but fewer than 5,000 daily steps, similar to the lower risk of death among those clocking up 5,000–7,500 daily steps but at a lower stepping pace (60 steps per minute).
Overall, the study found that 7,500–10,000 steps per day offered the lowest risk of an early death, irrespective of the pace, suggesting that higher intensity at lower volume can provide health benefits comparable to that of lower intensity but higher volume.
What's confirmed
- Findings from the study, which monitored nearly 65,000 individuals, indicate that taking 80 steps per minute while completing under 5,000 steps per day can be just as effective as logging 5,000 to 7,500 steps at a rate of 60 steps per minute.
- Analysis showed that the risk of death was substantially lower among those achieving a higher stepping pace (at least 80 steps per minute) but fewer than 5,000 daily steps, similar to the lower risk of death among those clocking up 5,000–7,500 daily steps but at a lower stepping pace (60 steps per minute).
- Overall, the study found that 7,500–10,000 steps per day offered the lowest risk of an early death, irrespective of the pace, suggesting that higher intensity at lower volume can provide health benefits comparable to that of lower intensity but higher volume.
What's still developing
- While many people believe they should aim for 10,000 steps per day, researchers have cast new light on the issue While many people believe they should aim for 10,000 steps per day, researchers have cast new light on the issue Walking at a quicker pace could offer identical health benefits to longer, more leisurely strolls, according to a new study.
- At the start of the study, people's daily step counts were divided into four distinct categories: 0–5,000 steps; 5,000–7,500; 7,500–10,000 and more than 10,000 steps.
- While many people believe they should aim for 10,000 steps per day, a fresh study indicates that walking intensity is also important.
- To evaluate how walking influences all-cause mortality risk, researchers monitored nearly 65,000 individuals with an average age of 61, who wore activity tracking devices for seven consecutive days.
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