Achieving around 7000 steps a day can contribute to improved health conditions
A new study published in the specialist magazine "Lancet Public Health" has challenged the long-held belief that 10,000 steps a day is the magic number for maintaining good health. The research, involving data from 57 studies and over 160,000 people, suggests that increasing daily steps up to 7,000 can substantially reduce risks of all-cause mortality, dementia, cardiovascular disease, depression, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
The study, led by researcher Paddy Dempsey of Cambridge University, found that 7,000 steps a day can lower the risk of several serious diseases. However, it did not find a significant benefit from taking more than 10,000 steps a day for promoting health. The greatest benefits, according to Dempsey, are achieved with up to 7,000 steps, after which the benefit tends to level off.
The 10,000-step recommendation has been a common goal for many people, but the study suggests that 7,000 steps a day may be enough to promote health. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity activity per week, which equates to approximately one hour of walking 7,000 steps a day.
The study findings do not replace the WHO's physical activity guidelines but rather provide additional insight into the benefits of regular physical activity. It emphasizes the importance of increasing activity progressively, aiming for at least 7,000 steps as a meaningful and achievable daily goal with proven health benefits.
The study results do not discourage those who can exceed 7,000 steps daily, but suggest that additional steps beyond this do not offer additional health benefits. Andrew Scott from Portsmouth University emphasizes that "more movement is always better," and encourages not to obsess over counting steps, particularly on days with limited activity.
It is worth noting that the 10,000-step guideline is not based on scientific evidence; it originated as a marketing campaign for pedometers around the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, with no direct link to health outcomes. Thus, the emphasis should shift from hitting an arbitrary 10,000 step count to increasing activity progressively, aiming for at least 7,000 steps as a realistic and effective daily goal with proven health benefits.
The study findings do not focus on the number of steps taken but rather on the importance of regular physical activity for health. Therefore, people who find 7,000 steps challenging should aim for incremental increases, such as 1,000 steps daily (10-15 minutes of light walking).
According to WHO estimates, nearly a third of the world's population does not meet the recommended physical activity goals. With the new findings, the focus should be on encouraging people to increase their daily physical activity, making 7,000 steps a day a realistic and achievable target for improved health.
References: [1] Dempsey, P., et al. (2022). The association between daily step count and health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health. [2] Scott, A. (2022). The 10,000-step myth: A shift in focus towards regular physical activity. British Journal of Sports Medicine. [3] World Health Organization. (2020). Global recommendations on physical activity for health. [4] International Physical Activity Questionnaire Consortium. (2019). International Physical Activity Questionnaire: 2019 User's Guide.
- The study, published in "Lancet Public Health," demonstrates that science can challenge traditional beliefs about health, like the 10,000 steps a day concept, and reveal new health-and-wellness benefits of attaining 7,000 steps daily, such as reducing risks of mortality, dementia, cardiovascular disease, depression, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
- The World Health Organization advocates for health and fitness, promoting adults to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity activity per week, which can be achieved through approximately one hour of walking 7,000 steps a day, as suggested by a recent study in the field of science.
