For your good health, how many steps a day do you need?
Many years ago, the goal of 10,000 steps a day was established and this “myth” persists to this day.
The “Let’s Walk 10,000 steps a day!” campaign was launched in 1965 by the Japanese company Yamasa Tokei, when they started marketing their product Manpo-Kei, a step counter, and the idea of 10,000 “mandatory” steps a day remains to this day.
“Walk at least 10,000 steps a day” is a modern axiom that is ingrained in fitness regimens around the world. And the fact is, with the proliferation of smartwatches, activity trackers, and mobile pedometers, this has become a global obsession.
However, when you want to encourage physical activity for a person, anything is better than nothing. And if a person already walks, any increase in the number of daily steps already has a greater benefit.
It is not wrong to take 10,000 steps a day and this can even be recommended as a goal for physical activity. But most people take 5,000 to 7,500 steps a day, even when they lead a sedentary lifestyle. So, for this group of people, the recommendation for a daily 30-minute walk will add another 3,000 to 4,000 steps, meaning that these people will be closer to the “healthy goal” of 10,000 steps a day.
Some studies, however, have already shown that shorter walks still show benefits. The study published in JAMA Network Open showed that those who averaged 7,000 to 10,000 steps a day had as good mortality rates as those who walked more than 10,000 steps a day. Those who maintained more steps per day indeed showed lower rates for all-cause mortality. This study involved a cohort of 2,110 adults. The authors of that study comment that taking at least 7,000 steps per day during middle age was associated with a lower risk of mortality and that there was no association between step intensity and mortality. They added that improving physical activity levels in the less active segment of the population, by encouraging increased steps per day, may be associated with a lower risk of mortality.
__Parque dos Meninos, São Paulo-Brazil. Photo: Nathalia Malaquim/RRJ__
Improving the number of steps per day is very important and this is more important than simply reaching a specific goal. This was demonstrated in a Canadian study, where diabetic patients were randomized to receive an exercise prescription or follow their usual care. The exercise-oriented group showed improvement in their daily step count from about 5,000 steps a day to about 6,200 steps a day; this increase in the number of steps per day resulted in improved blood sugar control, with improved glycated hemoglobin (A1c) results and insulin sensitivity.
Postmenopausal women were studied in another Japanese study and, after a weekly exercise program, increasing their daily step count from 6,800 to 8,500 steps per day, showed improvement in their lipid profile.
Another interesting finding from another study that implemented a walking program for 24 weeks was the reduction in blood pressure in postmenopausal women, despite the step count being close to 9,000 steps per day.
A reduction in mortality was demonstrated by US NHANES data for individuals taking more than 8,000 steps per day compared to those taking less than 4,000 steps per day. In general, this benefit stabilized from 9,000 to 10,000 steps per day.
Walking 10,000 steps a day is a good goal that has health benefits, however, lower levels of physical activity still have benefits. Everyone’s goal should be to seek more physical activity, seek to increase their daily walk, and improve their numbers.
So, the habit of daily walking is very important, no matter if in the morning, at lunchtime, or in the evening, and the benefits will come regardless of the number of daily steps.
Using Dr. Labos’ words, it’s worth noting: that when it comes to physical activity, the greatest benefit occurs when we go from doing nothing to doing something.
There is no doubt that physical activity is fundamental to our health. There are many “immediate” benefits, we sleep better, and our sense of well-being increases.
Finally, physical activity reduces the chances of the appearance of some problems such as type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, hypertension, and thrombosis. Periodic physical activity also, as we have already mentioned, helps to lower cholesterol and, as a result, reduces the chances of obstruction of the arteries and all that, with a reduction in the chances of myocardial infarction and stroke.
Physical activity should be daily and regular. It is not appropriate to walk 10–12 km in one day and not perform physical activity in the next 1 or 2 days; better would be to establish a regular daily walk of 2 to 4 km, for example.
But not just physical activity! If we add better eating habits and eliminate smoking and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, greater gains can be achieved.
Everyone can exercise. But, according to the intensity and modality of the activities, a medical evaluation is necessary. After this assessment of our health conditions, we can be safely released for more intense physical activity. So, we shouldn’t start running, or do more intense physical exercises, without a previous medical evaluation. And this assessment should be repeated every six months or a year.
_________________________________Photo: Casa dos Avós, Portugal_____
But, as we saw earlier, light and regular walks are suitable for our health.
And repeating the words of Dr. Nahas, a sedentary lifestyle kills more than smoking and makes many victims every year.
References:
- Paluch AF et al — JAMA Network Open, 2021; 4(9): e2124516
- Dasgupta K et al — Diabetes Obes Met 2017; 19: 695–704
- Sugiura H et al — BMC Women’s Health 2002, January 21, 2002
- Saint-Maurice PF et al — JAMA 2020; 323 (12): 1151–1160
- Labos C — Medscape, March 21, 2022
