After all, how many steps should we walk a day?

This text was written by a TecMundo columnist; learn more at the end.

We count our steps daily. Most devices like smart watches And smartphonesIt has a step counter (pedometer) from the simplest to the most complex. The message that we should walk at least 10,000 steps a day for our health came from one of these devices..

But ultimately, what does the latest science show about the number of steps we walk per day and how it relates to health and mortality? A new study offers insights that could “guide our next steps.”

Origin of the 10,000 steps/day goal

The easy-to-remember and powerfully appealing metric — 10,000 steps per day — emerged almost 60 years ago, in 1965, when the Yamasa Clock company introduced a pedometer called the “Manpo-kei” (meaning 10,000-step meter).

The following years have been marked by some research reinforcing the belief that this number of steps should be taken each day, but the most recent evidence seems to disagree.

Recent studies have shown that even under 10,000 steps can have benefits. It also appears that exceeding the mark does not always provide additional benefits. A Harvard study found that women who walked 4,400 steps per day had a lower risk of death compared to women who walked only 2,700 steps per day. Another study found that 4,000 steps per day was associated with a lower risk of death compared to those who walked 8,000 steps per day.

It was necessary to bring these together to reach better conclusions with the accumulation of research. That is what researchers from Spain did by May 2024, publishing their review study in the scientific journal the following month. Preventive medicine. An update was made to the recommendation based on analysis of the most recent studies.

What is the minimum and optimal daily step dose?

The authors’ first conclusion was that the variability was large, meaning that the results varied greatly from study to study. Despite this, it was possible to confirm a non-linear relationship between step count and reduced risk of death from all causes.

• Minimum number of steps per day? Looks like around 3,143 steps per day. Increasing steps per day is associated with a reduced risk of premature death.
• The ideal dose of transitions? The optimal dose of steps seems to be between 7,000 and 9,000 per day. Increasing your steps by 1,000 per day was associated with a 9% reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality.

This is further research This confirms that the 10,000 steps per day goal is more about marketing than science..

As has been done in other studies, categories were created;

• Sedentary lifestyle: less than 5 thousand steps per day;
• Active low level: 5 thousand to 7.5 thousand steps per day;
• Somewhat active: Between 7,500 and 10,000 steps per day;
• Active: Between 10 thousand and 12.5 thousand steps per day;
• Very active: over 12,500 steps per day.

In this case, more was better. The physical activity categories showed a progressively decreasing risk of death, with the very active category showing the lowest risk.

Peter Attia in the book best seller Live longer The positive impact of exercise on longevity is the most undeniable effect found in human biology, he says. Exercise can be as simple as walking: free, accessible, and something almost anyone can do.

Try walking for 1 minute and counting your steps. One hundred steps per minute is an average stated in the literature. The total number of transitions in an hour will be 6 thousand. As stated in the research, you will have walked a minimum of 3,000 steps in half an hour.

Should we forget about the 10,000 steps a day goal?

Not necessarily, because it is desirable to walk more if possible. Given that the benefits are minimal, we could only walk for about 10 minutes three times a day.

The truth is that the goal of 10,000 steps a day is perhaps quite distant for many people, given the contemporary sedentary lifestyle that bogs us down and paralyzes us, providing us with everything we need in seconds with fingers moving on the screen of the mobile phone, which in some cases may not be practical and may discourage them. Therefore, it is consistent to set smaller goals that are reasonable in context..

Practically…

As David Raichlen, an anthropologist at the University of Southern California, suggests: “Open the door and take a thousand steps,” because it’s amazing how little we need to do to get the benefits. You may not be motivated by the 9% reduction in your risk of death from all causes when you take an extra 1,000 steps.

To get up from the couch, we need to visualize that the gains are faster than the energy and time spent, so that the benefits outweigh the costs. In this sense, pay attention to the immediate results that walking can give you: mental relief from stressors, clarity and creativity. Every step is important.

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Fabio Dominski He holds a PhD in Human Movement Sciences and a degree in Physical Education from the State University of Santa Catarina (UDESC). He is a university professor and researcher at the Laboratory of Sport and Exercise Psychology (LAPE/UDESC). He does scientific dissemination on social media and in podcast available on SpotifyAuthor of Physical Exercise and Science – Facts and Myths.