Now might be a good time to walk back the myth that you need 10,000 steps a day for optimal health.
A new scientific review finds that just 3,143 steps can protect against premature death, with optimal daily steps falling somewhere between 7,000 and 9,000.
“The 10,000 steps/day guideline lacks evidence-based support, posing a challenge for public health research to analyze the dose-response relationship between [physical] activity levels and health outcomes,” the research team from Spain wrote in the August issue of Preventive Medicine.
The idea of aiming for 10,000 steps a day dates back to a 1965 marketing campaign for Manpo-kei, a pedometer made in Japan that counted up to 10,000 steps.
Ten thousand daily steps — roughly equivalent to 5 miles — eventually became the gold standard no matter the fitness of the pedestrian.
In the six decades since the release of the Manpo-kei, several scientists have tried to test the one-size-fits-all effectiveness of 10,000 steps in lowering the risk of various diseases and preventing early death.
A 2019 study found that older women who took 4,400 steps a day had a lower risk of premature death compared to those who walked only 2,700 steps. The health benefits plateaued at about 7,500 daily steps.
Research in 2022 found that about 7,000 daily steps could help people over 60 live longer. Younger adults may see the most health benefits at around 9,000 steps.
The latest large-scale analysis determined that adults younger under 70 can enjoy significant health benefits with just 4,000 steps a day. The premature death risk appears to level off with a daily step count between 8,000 and 10,000.
Seniors 70 and older, meanwhile, can experience health benefits at just 2,500 steps a day.
The average American walks 3,000 to 4,000 daily steps — or about 1.5 to 2 miles. Walking less than 5,000 steps a day is generally considered a “sedentary” lifestyle.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans states that adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle strengthening a week.
Not getting enough physical activity can significantly increase the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, stroke, certain cancers and other chronic conditions.
Walking is a low-impact exercise that doesn’t require any special equipment and can help you lose weight, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, sleep better, strengthen bones, improve mood and energy, reduce stress and enhance memory, among other benefits.
If you get bored, you can level up your walking routine by moving to the tune of an uptempo song, alternating between fast and slow paces, incorporating strength training and adding in hills.
