Is Walking 10,000 Steps a Day Recommended? Research Says This

A popular notion suggests that one has to accomplish 10,000 steps a day to be healthy. However, some experts don't think one has to make that much movement.

10,000 Steps May Not Be Necessary To Be Healthy

There's a debate about how many steps we must take daily to be active. While many believed it should be 10,000, one study published last year suggested otherwise. Walking 2,337 steps a day lowers the chance of dying from cardiovascular disease while walking at least 3,967 steps daily reduces the risk of dying from any cause. A total of 8,900 steps per day appeared to delay rates of cognitive decline and brain volume reduction in high-risk individuals, according to another 2019 study.

"Increasing physical activity such as your step count through walking contributes to improved cardiovascular fitness, weight management, improved mood, better sleep and enhanced cognitive function," Lindsay Bottoms, a reader in exercise and health physiology at the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K., said. "Walking can reduce the risk of developing chronic illnesses such as dementia and certain cancers. It sometimes helps improve health conditions such as type 2 diabetes."

Any exercise can strengthen our immune systems and improve our emotional well-being. But walking's main advantages are its simplicity, accessibility, and adaptability, making it a valuable and healthy exercise for people of all ages.

As for making 1,000 steps a day, the expert said it wasn't necessary. Bottoms stated that the 10,000 steps per day goal appears to have originated from a trade name pedometer offered by Yamasa Clock in Japan in 1965. The gadget was marketed under "Manpo-kei," meaning "10,000 steps meter." This name appears to have remained the daily step goal around the globe.

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What You Should Target To Be Healthy?

Bottom suggested making as many steps as possible and breaking up the sitting time. She recommends aiming for at least 7,000 steps a day. If one can't reach the said number, she suggests increasing the daily step by about 1,000 steps.

Bottoms split up her sitting time rather than counting the steps she does in a day. Prolonged sitting has been linked to an increased risk of different health concerns, so she pays more attention to breaks.

The expert added that this depends on what you do and the kind of meeting you are having. For her, she occasionally answers work calls while out on a walk. She walks the dogs as soon as she wakes up and as soon as she goes to bed. Additionally, she makes an effort to walk in the evening before she settles in because she knows that it will be difficult for her to get back up once she sits! She recommends parking your car slightly farther away from the store or workplace for more walking opportunities.

It's not about steps either but being active.

"It is about being active," Bottoms emphasized. "The World Health Organization recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week (or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise) and at least 2 muscle strengthening sessions."