For many, walking is an excellent low-impact exercise – and it also happens to be totally free. Research shows that incorporating walking into your movement routine can reduce the risk of heart disease and even improve your mental health. However, exactly how much walking one should do every day is up for debate.
A number that probably comes to mind is 10,000 steps a day — a goal that many people who track their step count strive to achieve on a daily basis. It’s the number associated with many fitness challenges and one that many fitness TikTokers swear by for health and weight loss. But it is Is this the number we should all be striving for on a daily basis?
Dr. Alexis Coslicka sports medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Johns Hopkins Medicine, notes that 10,000 steps a day was developed for a marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer, and is not an official health recommendation.
“Studies have looked at the number of steps related to health benefits and weight loss, but most studies also restricted caloric intake, rather than looking at the number of steps in isolation,” he says.
Dr. Coslick says that officially, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends “150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise and two days of muscle strengthening.” Trying to hit the step count could, in theory, go toward those exercise goals.
However, the real reason step count is such an important metric is because it indicates how often you move throughout the day. Personal trainer Tony Coffey, Owner of Bloom Training, explains that daily step counting is “closely related to increased cognition, mood, glycemic (blood sugar) control, and decreased risk of all-cause mortality, blood pressure, and postprandial triglycerides. According to research, increasing the number of steps, that is, increasing the frequency with which you move throughout the day, can even help you live longer.
“A recent meta-analysis looking at 175,000 total person-years, it was shown that for every 1,000 more steps you take per day, your risk of death from all causes is reduced by 12%,” Coffey tells Yahoo Life. “The data looked at people who averaged less than 3,000 steps per day up to 16,000 steps per day. Walking less than 3,000 steps per day was associated with a 300% increased risk of all-cause mortality compared to the 16,000 step group. To put that in perspective, death rates from all causes are only 70-80% higher in smokers than non-smokers. How much you move during the day is one of the biggest predictors of your overall lifespan.”
However, one need not worry too much about the 10,000 steps, specifically. Michele Olson, a clinical professor of sports science at Huntingdon College in Alabama, points out that, according to research, 7,000 steps a day may be the sweet spot.
“In terms of having a significant impact, one should work towards accumulating 7,000 steps per day. Compared to just taking 4,000 steps, taking 7,000 steps substantially reduces health risks,” he shares. “You get additional health benefits by taking more steps towards 10,000 per day, but the degree of health increases.”
Want to get lifestyle and wellness news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here to Yahoo Life Newsletter.
