Should you be chasing the 10,000 steps-a-day fitness goal? Science says think again
longevity? While many fitness gurus have sworn by this tactic to remain at the peak of good health and live a long life, recent research suggests that you don’t need to walk a specific number of steps to live longer. However, being active is the key to being fit.
Walking 3,900 Steps May Be Enough For Living Long
Published on August 9, 2023, in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, this research assessed 17 high-quality international studies involving nearly 227,000 adults (ages 18 and up) who wore fitness trackers for a week and were monitored for about seven years. The findings revealed that taking at least 3,900 steps daily—just under two miles—was associated with a notably lower risk of death from all causes throughout the study period.
A reduction in death from cardiovascular disease was linked to an even lower daily step count, around 2,300. Additionally, the data showed that each additional 1,000 steps reduced the risk of death from any cause by 15%, while each extra 500 steps reduced cardiovascular mortality by 7%. Though this observational study cannot prove that taking more steps directly extends lifespan, the results reinforce two common health messages: even modest physical activity has benefits, and more activity is even better.
Origins Of The 10,000 Steps Theory
The 10,000-step target has its origins in Japan during the 1960s, when a pedometer called the «manpo-kei» (meaning «10,000 steps meter») was marketed to encourage regular walking. This number was selected because it was simple and
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