The science behind walking 10,000 or 20,000 steps a day

How many steps should you actually walk in a day?

It’s often said that the gold standard for staying healthy is 10,000 steps. But where does this number actually come from, and is it accurate?

“Increasing physical activity, such as the number of steps taken by walking, contributes to improved cardiovascular fitness, weight management, improved mood, improved sleep quality and enhanced cognitive function,” says the University of Hertfordshire, University of Hertfordshire in Exercise and Health Physiology. says Lindsey Bottoms, who specializes inSaid newsweek. “Walking reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases such as dementia and certain cancers, and in some cases can help improve health conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

Any type of exercise can support your immune system and boost your mental health. However, the main advantages of walking are its simplicity, accessibility, and versatility, making it a practical and beneficial exercise for all ages.

But do you really need to walk 10,000 steps every day to experience these benefits?

“The goal of 10,000 steps a day seems to have come from the pedometer, a product sold by Japan’s Yamasa Watch in 1965,” Bottoms said. “The device was called a ‘pedometer’ – a ‘10,000 pedometer’. It was a marketing tool for the device and seems to have taken hold around the world as a daily step goal.”

In fact, some people swear by the benefits of walking 20,000 steps a day. But is this really necessary? “It’s good for people to sit less and be more active, so there’s no stopping people from getting 20,000 steps a day,” Bottoms said. “But to achieve a goal that is reasonable for people, it needs to be significantly reduced, otherwise it becomes unattainable and demoralizing.

“Studies have repeatedly shown that walking approximately 7,500 to 8,500 steps does not further improve the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease. [and] One study showed that a step count of about 4,400 steps can cause a decline in women’s moral rates over a period of time. ”

With this in mind, how many steps should you take to stay healthy? “Aim to do as many things as possible to reduce the amount of time you spend sitting,” Bottoms said. “I’m aiming for at least 7,000 steps a day, but if I’m not there, I’m going to increase my step count by about 1,000 steps a day.

“I’m less focused on the number of steps you take per day than I am on making sure you reduce the amount of time you spend sitting. Recent studies have shown that sitting for long periods of time increases your risk of a variety of health problems. I know it’s possible, so I take my dog ​​for a few short walks between meetings and focus more on killing this sedentary time during the work day.

“Sometimes I take work calls while walking. Of course, this depends on the nature of the job and the type of meeting. I walk my dog ​​first thing in the morning and last thing at night. I try to do it in the evening.” “I sit down. I know that I have a hard time getting up as soon as I sit down, so whenever possible, I park my car a little further away from the office or store so I can get some more legs.” Please step in.”

It’s not all about the steps. “It’s about being active,” Bottoms said. “The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise) and at least two muscle-strengthening sessions per week.”

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