10,000 Daily Step Goal Debunked by Huge New Study
True confession: Despite the fact that I run or walk 4 days a week, there are lots of days I don't get 10,000 steps.
I'm on my feet every day, often moving in place, but the step count doesn't hit the number that's been considered the golden number for good health.
I was happy to learn I can stop feeling guilty!
The whole 10,000-step idea was a 1960s Japanese marketing campaign. The good news is you don’t need to hit that high a number to reap serious benefits.
According to a large new analysis, the biggest boost to your health happens well before 10,000 steps.
The typical American is estimated to walk just under 5,000 steps a day.
Researchers reviewed 57 studies involving hundreds of thousands of people and found that walking just 7,000 steps a day--roughly 3 miles for most--can dramatically reduce the risk of a wide range of health issues.
Compared with people walking only 2,000 steps a day, those who reached 7,000 steps had:
47% lower risk of death from any cause
47% lower risk of dying from heart disease
38% lower risk of developing dementia
37% lower risk of dying from cancer
25% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease
14% lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes
22% lower risk of depressive symptoms
28% lower risk of falls
The most surprising finding was the nearly 40% reduced risk of dementia.
Researchers compared the benefits to squeezing an orange:
🍊 You get the most juice from the first few squeezes.
🍊 Going from 2,000 to 4,000 steps cuts death risk by 36%.
🍊 Going from 4,000 to 7,000 adds another 17%. Then the gains level off.
There was no meaningful difference in risk of death, cancer, diabetes, or heart disease between people who walked 7,000 and those who walked 10,000+.
More steps aren’t harmful, they just don’t add much more benefit.
I'm always on the lookout for correlation vs causation.
Frail, unwell people are unlikely to move as much as healthy people. But researchers controlled for that and emphasized that every step counts.
While any steps are good steps, adding intensity is even better. Add faster walking intervals or charge up some hills.
What if your daily routine isn't conducive to getting lots of steps?
You might be surprised by how many steps you can get just by taking a walk early in the morning or after dinner.
You can get the benefits of being active daily OR load up on steps 1 or 2 days of the week--like on the weekends.
In addition to getting sufficient steps, it's equally important to move frequently.
Sitting for long periods isn't good for your health or your muscles.
Break up your sitting by moving every hour.
Oh...and if you're tracking your steps....
Know that step counters are notoriously inaccurate.
My step count dropped when I switched from Fitbit to the Apple Watch. Turns out, Apple measures based on arm swing.
If you're pushing a grocery cart or doing a Farmer carry, your steps might not get counted.
But your body will know....and that's what counts!
