It’s widely believed that 10,000 steps a day is the gold standard for our health
Many people believe that 10,000 daily steps represents the pinnacle of healthy living, but for some individuals – particularly as physical activity becomes more challenging as we age – this target can seem impossible to achieve.
However, ground-breaking research now indicates you might not need to walk anywhere near that distance to experience genuine health improvements. The study revealed that elderly women who managed approximately 4,000 steps just once or twice weekly reduced their chances of premature death by 26 per cent, according to the findings.
Scientists emphasised that it’s the total distance people cover, rather than how frequently they exercise, that proves crucial for cutting mortality rates and cardiovascular disease risk.
The researchers argued that guidelines requiring 10,000 daily steps are misguided, stating “there is no ‘better’ or ‘best’ pattern to take steps”, reports the Manchester Evening News. They highlighted that movement remains vital and “individuals can undertake physical activity in any preferred pattern”.
The research discovered that, when compared with women leading largely inactive lifestyles, those managing 4,000 steps daily on one or two occasions weekly experienced a 26 per cent reduced risk of death from any cause and a 27 per cent lower heart disease risk.
Accomplishing this target three times weekly provided even greater advantages, with a 40 per cent reduction in premature death risk and a 27 per cent decrease in heart disease likelihood. Taking even more exercise than that – between 5,000 to 7,000 steps – resulted in further reductions, though these were more moderate.
This showed a 32 per cent reduced risk of death, but the benefits for cardiovascular disease deaths plateaued at 16 per cent.
The researchers, including those from Harvard University in the US, concluded that the study demonstrated “the number of steps per day, rather than the frequency of days/week achieving a particular step threshold is important” for reducing the risk of premature death and heart disease in older women.
They went on to state: “Physical activity guidelines in older women should consider recommending at least 4,000 steps per day on one to two days per week to lower mortality and cardiovascular disease risk.”
The research involved 13,547 women who were free from heart disease and cancer at the beginning, typically aged around 72. The participants wore monitoring devices for seven consecutive days to track their step count and were followed for nearly 11 years.
Throughout this period, 1,765 women (13 per cent) passed away and 781 (5.1 per cent) developed heart disease. The team determined that a “greater number of steps, regardless of daily patterns, is associated with better health outcomes”. The research was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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