If you can’t get to 10,000 steps per day, we have great news for you!
Being physically active is one of the most powerful ways to maintain good health. You may have heard the health recommendation to get “10,000 steps per day.” New research shows that similar health benefits are seen when people get as little as 7,000 steps per day. (Cue confetti if this makes daily walks seem more doable.)
A group of American researchers recently published a study in the medical journal JAMA Network Open. They wanted to find out how many steps are associated with a reduced risk of premature death for middle-aged adults. They gave 2,110 participants ages 38-50 a wearable activity monitor to measure their steps, then grouped participants into three categories:
- Low – those who took fewer than 7,000 steps per day
- Moderate – those who took 7,000-9,999 steps per day
- High – those who took 10,000+ steps per day.
Researchers followed up with participants twice per year for several years afterwards (10.8 years, on average). They wanted to see how many died prematurely (earlier than the US population’s mean life expectancy) and compared this to how many steps they took per day and how quickly they were stepping.
They also accounted for a number of other factors such as smoking history, body weight and height, alcohol intake, diet (and rated it based on the Healthy Eating Index), fasting glucose, total cholesterol, blood pressure, and the medications that participants were using.
The researchers found that people who took a moderate number of steps per day (7,000-9,999) had their risk of premature mortality reduced by 50-70% compared with those who took only 6,999 or fewer steps per day. What’s also interesting is that those who took a high number of steps per day (10,000+) had almost the same benefit as the moderate group. In other words, whether you take 7,000, 8,000, or even 10,000+ steps per day you have a reduced risk of dying prematurely.
These findings were also consistent across racial groups and genders. “This cohort study found that higher daily step volume was associated with a lower risk of premature all-cause mortality among Black and white middle-aged women and men,” said the study authors.
But, what about how quickly people stepped? Did people who jogged or even ran have a further reduced risk? The speed or number of steps per minute is called “step intensity.” This study looked at, but did not find, that step intensity made any difference to the health benefits, although previous studies have found that intensity may reduce heart disease risk factors. In other words, middle-aged adults don’t need to sprint, or even jog, to reduce their risk of premature mortality.
The bottom line of this study is that middle-aged people should aim to get at least 7,000 steps each day to reduce their risks of dying prematurely.
Have trouble getting those 7,000 steps every day? Try:
- Downloading an app or using a pedometer to keep track of your progress
- Booking a specific time into your day, every day, to make it a habit
- Enlist a co-worker, family member, friend, neighbour, or your pup to keep you company
And remember, when you need extra support to get motivated, Atrium’s team of wellness professionals are here for you, 24/7, anywhere in the world. Log on to your portal today!
Reference:
Paluch, A. E., Gabriel, K. P., Fulton, J. E., Lewis, C. E., Schreiner, P. J., Sternfeld, B., Sidney, S., Siddique, J., Whitaker, K. M., & Carnethon, M. R. (2021). Steps per Day and All-Cause Mortality in Middle-aged Adults in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study. JAMA network open, 4(9), e2124516. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.24516
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2783711
