Main Street News
Do you really have to get 10,000 steps per day? Studies suggest that you can reap the same benefits with a lower daily step count
I will admit that I have very recently become a bit obsessed with my daily step count. Although I consider myself a very active person (I exercise five times a week on average), a few months ago I realized that due to working a desk job, my daily step count was alarmingly low.
A few years ago, health publications all over were reporting that the ideal daily step count was 10,000. While not completely unattainable, getting 10,000 requires some serious dedication for those who drive to work and then sit at a desk for eight hours or so each day. Good news for those who have a hard time working periods of walking in during their day – new research suggests that you can get fewer than 10,000 steps daily and reap the same benefits.
An article from SELF reported that a scientific analysis published in The Lancet Public Health concluded that the ideal daily step count falls somewhere in between the 5,000-7,000 range.
“That’s because once you get into that range, you have a significantly lower risk of developing a slew of serious health conditions. Just a few examples of the perks you can expect compared to people who clock just 2,000 daily steps: a 47% lower risk of dying from any cause; a 25% lower risk of cardiovascular disease; a 37% lower risk of dying from cancer; a 14% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes; a 38% lower risk of dementia; and a 22% lower risk of depression,” Karin Miller writes.
An article for NPR also notes that even a modest jump in daily step count can have a major impact on overall health. For instance, increasing step count from 2,000 to 4,000 steps each day was accompanied by nearly a 36% lower risk of dying.
Beyond 7,000 steps, the additional benefits are minimal.
The researchers stated in the study that, “the incremental improvement beyond 7,000 steps per day was small, and there was no statistical difference between 7,000 steps per day and a higher step count for all the other outcomes.” As such, aiming for a daily step count of 7,000 steps is not only more attainable, but boasts similar benefits to a greater number of steps.
In the same article for NPR, Melody Ding, a professor of public health at the University of Sydney stated, “It definitely doesn’t do harm if you go beyond 7,000. So for anyone who’s already doing 10,000 and more, there is no point in going back. But for the folks who are finding it harder to get there, 7,000 could be a really realistic target.”
All movement is good movement
Moving more and sitting less is really the overall goal here. Regular movement – even just for five to ten minutes a few times a day– can do wonders for overall health. If you work an office job like many do, try to make time in your schedule to take a few brief walks during the work day or to stretch tight muscles. Little bursts of movement add up during the day to make for big benefits.
In addition to physical health, avoiding sitting for long periods of time is also beneficial for your brain. Small bouts of brisk exercise, even at just five or ten minutes a piece, can lower the risk of dementia.
NPR also notes that because the whole point is to increase physical activity and expend energy, it doesn’t have to start and end at step count. NPR states that you can translate one mile of walking into one-fifth of a mile of swimming or five miles of cycling, depending on how you prefer to exercise.
In summary, in order to maintain overall health, make time for short bouts of exercise throughout your work day to break up long periods of sitting, get your steps in, and make time for other kinds of exercise, such as strength training and mobility, too. Your body will thank you.
