How much should you walk per day? Science debunks the myth of 10,000 steps a day

If there’s one number that gets bandied about when it comes to the health benefits of exercise, it’s 10,000 steps per day, which is about seven kilometers. It is even said to be a recommendation from the World Health Organization (WHO), but the WHO does not mention this number in its advice for a healthy lifestyle.

For the 18 to 64 age group, 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week is required – between two and a half to five hours – or half that time if the intensity is higher. A combination of both would also work.

Muscle-strengthening workouts should be added to any of these options at least twice a week. There is no longer any mention of the infamous 10,000 steps.

Reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease

Numerous studies have rejected this measure and lowered it to 8,000 steps or even less. One of the most recent articles debunking this 10K myth was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. It claims that walking 2,200 steps is enough to reduce the risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and that – this is the new finding – if we walk between 9,000 and 10,000 steps, we compensate Risks of a very sedentary life, that is, when we spend more than 10.5 hours without sitting or lying down counting hours of sleep.

“Any number of daily steps above 2,200 was associated with lower mortality and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Accumulating between 9,000 and 10,000 steps per day optimally reduced the risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease, even in very sedentary individuals.”

In particular, the risk of death was reduced by 39% and the risk of coronary heart disease was reduced by 21%.

Researchers at the University of Sydney/Charles Perkins Center came to these conclusions after analyzing the activity of 72,174 people registered in the UK Biobank, a database containing information on half a million British citizens. They all wore an accelerometer – almost all watches or sports wristbands have this sensor – on their wrist for a week to measure the amount of physical activity they did.

“Our results can be used to improve public health messaging and make concrete recommendations about how much walking one should do daily,” they concluded.

Where does the myth of 10,000 steps come from?

If the WHO hasn’t recommended walking 10,000 steps a day for health reasons, where does this value come from as a leading measure of well-being?

It appears to be the result of a marketing strategy by sellers of watches and sports bracelets that track physical activity. In this case, the origin goes back to 1965, namely to Japan. At that time, a Japanese company released a pedometer called “Manpo-Kei,” which literally translates to “measure 10,000 steps.” They chose this character because in Japanese script it looks like a walking man – no other reason.

The myth has been debunked, but those responsible for our health still emphasize the importance of physical activity, however brief. A little is better than nothing.

Figures from WHO data speak for themselves: more than a quarter of the world’s adult population – 1.4 billion people – do not achieve the minimum level of exercise, and these statistics have not improved since 2001, a long two decades. The same goes for the consequences: last March, a study in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet put the number of obese people worldwide at over a billion, and by 2030 that number is expected to double. The disease has already caused 5 million deaths and 40 million cases worldwide.

Never too late

It’s never too early or too late to start. For babies under one year old, the WHO recommends interactive floor play several times a day and they should not be held in strollers or chairs or strapped to the chest or back of their parents or caregivers for more than an hour at a time.

At the other end of the age scale, for those over 65, the same advice applies as for adults, supplemented by balance and strength exercises to reduce the increased risk of falls in old age. Unless there are contraindications, pregnant women and postpartum women can and should remain active. At least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week is recommended.

People with chronic illnesses and people who have survived cancer should also keep moving. For the latter, physical activity is now also recommended during cancer treatment.