Most of us have heard the recommendation to aim for around 10,000 steps a day for good health. This idea has gained popularity over the past few decades as a response to increasingly sedentary lifestyles, with many people spending hours sitting at work or on their phones. However, recent advice from a health expert suggests there’s another crucial activity we should add to our daily routines to stay healthy.
The Origin of the 10,000 Steps Goal
Interestingly, the 10,000-step goal didn’t originate from medical experts. According to Nuffield Health, it began as a marketing strategy during the Tokyo 1964 Olympics. A Japanese company, Yamasa, introduced the first pedometer and named it “manpo-kei,” meaning “10,000-step meter,” because the character for 10,000 resembled a walking man. This clever campaign helped set the global standard for daily walking.
Is Walking 10,000 Steps Really Necessary?
Although the 10,000-step goal wasn’t initially backed by science, later studies supported the idea of increasing physical activity. Research from JAMA Internal Medicine found that older adults who walked more had lower mortality rates. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all target for daily movement. A 2019 Harvard Medical School study found health benefits for women leveled off at around 7,500 steps, indicating it’s not essential to hit 10,000 steps every day.
Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that step cadence, or walking speed, is as important as the total number of steps. Dr. Elroy Aguiar’s research shows that walking at a pace of 100 or more steps per minute can significantly boost health. He noted that this is not as difficult as it sounds, as most people naturally walk between 110 and 115 steps per minute. Aguiar concluded that the intensity of exercise, rather than just the number of steps, is crucial for health benefits.
“100 is a very achievable number,” Dr. Aguiar told The Independent. “To increase intensity, aim for about 130 steps per minute. By maintaining or exceeding this pace, you can maximize the health benefits of your physical activity.”