Is 5,000 steps a day enough?what science has proven

How many steps do you actually need to walk a day to stay healthy?

It’s often said that 10,000 steps is the gold standard for a healthy lifestyle, but achieving this goal isn’t easy. But is it really necessary to take 10,000 steps a day? Is 5,000 steps enough?

John Ford, an American College of Sports Medicine board-certified exercise physiologist at JKF Fitness & Health in New York, says, “Modern life is sedentary, and we’re far more sedentary than our evolutionary levels of activity would suggest.” “There is,” he said. newsweek. “Many negative health risk factors that cause mortality are significantly increased by a sedentary lifestyle and sitting too much during the day.”

Numerous studies have shown that a sedentary lifestyle can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, colon cancer, high blood pressure, depression, and more. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, about 2 million people a year may die from physical inactivity.

While any form of exercise can minimize these risks, walking is unique in its accessibility, versatility, and ease. But exactly how much walking do you need to do to feel these benefits?

“This really depends on your health goals and habits,” said This Eisvogels, associate professor of exercise physiology at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands. newsweek. “Adding 1,000 steps to your daily routine, which is the equivalent of about 10 minutes of brisk walking, can reduce your risk of death by about 15 percent.Adding more steps may have even greater health benefits. So every step counts.”

Many people swear that walking 10,000 to 20,000 steps a day has changed their lives. However, not everyone has the time (or energy) to achieve these goals.

Additionally, research from Eisvogels’ lab has shown that exceeding a certain number of steps does not significantly increase health benefits (other than burning more calories). “While step goal goals can depend on many factors (age, health status, etc.), mortality rates are at 8,800 steps per day, and cardiovascular event risk is greatest at 7,100 steps per day. ,” Eisfogels said. “Thus, these numbers can potentially be used as goals to help you get the most out of a physically active lifestyle.”

This research Journal of the American College of Cardiology In October 2023.

It’s also worth noting that step count wasn’t the only important measure in their study. “We found that not only step count, but also cadence (steps per minute) independently influenced health outcomes,” Eisfogels said. “So not only can you reduce your risk of death by increasing your step count, but also by increasing your stride length while maintaining your daily step count.”

And walking isn’t the only way to stay physically active. “There are activities like swimming and cycling that don’t necessarily register on an activity monitor, but they’re still active parts of your day,” Ford said.

So, is 5,000 steps a day enough? “I usually advise that 5,000 steps is not enough because it probably means you’re sitting too much that day,” Ford said. “However, it’s important to realize that not everything is absolute. 5,000 steps of intense exercise can have great health benefits.”

According to official indicators, taking fewer than 5,000 steps at a time is considered a “sedentary” lifestyle. However, in a study published in a journal, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology In August 2023, we found that taking just 4,000 steps per day was associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality, and as little as 2,337 steps per day was associated with a reduction in cardiovascular risk.

Dr. Eisfogels added that while his research group saw the greatest health benefits between 7,500 and 8,500 steps, his study also saw a significant risk reduction after just 2,500 steps. “We found that a step count of 2,500 to 2,700 steps per day was associated with an 8 percent and 11 percent reduction in risk of mortality and cardiovascular events, respectively, compared to a baseline group of 2,000 steps per day,” he said. Stated. “Therefore, the minimum step dose is 2,500 steps per day for him, and increasing his daily step count further reduces risk.”

But will Mr. Eisfogels and Mr. Ford follow their own advice?

“Depending on my daily routine, I typically walk between 7,000 and 9,000 steps a day,” Eisfogels said. “If you cycle to work instead of taking the train, you will usually take a little less steps (but you will get more daily exercise). Also, on days when you work from home, you can increase your activity by going for a walk for lunch, etc. , have online meetings while standing, and take my kids to school by bike.”

Ford continued, “I try to average about 10,000 steps a day over a seven-day period.On more social days, such as meeting friends, exploring the city, or going to an event, I hit my step goal.” It’s easiest to do this. On days where I just do a few sessions and train at the gym, I often find myself taking less than 10,000 steps.”

You don’t even have to leave the house. For example, you can place a simple walking pad under your desk so you can step on it while attending meetings or watching Netflix.

“What I’ve learned is that just being more social and walking to do daily errands and chores can be an easy and effective way to step up,” Ford said. Ta.