Whenever we think about getting fit, often we come across the magic number of 10,000 steps a day, to live a fitter, healthier life. However, according to an expert from the University of Hertfordshire, you can achieve similar results in just 4,400 steps.
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This is according to Lindsay Bottom in the Conversation where she has revealed that the goal of 10,000 steps in a day might be overkill.
Bottoms explained how the 10,000 steps a day target arrived by a pedometer in Japan in 1965 named Manpo-Kei which translated to 10,000 steps meter. While a clever marketing tool for the time, it has now seemed to have stuck across the world as the basic target to beat.?
Bottoms states that even though it's obviously good that one is walking 10,000 steps each day, improving physical and mental health -- study published in National Library of Medicine has also highlighted. However, she highlighted a 2019 research from the Harvard Medical School that suggests 10,000 steps a day might be overkill.
The study found that on average, it is enough to take 4,400 steps per day to significantly lower the risk of death in women as compared to taking only 2,700 steps every day.
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The study also discovered that the more steps people walked, the lesser their risk of dying was. However, this too hit a cap at 7,500 steps a day with no additional benefits seen from walking 10,000 steps a day.
Bottoms said, “Although it’s uncertain whether similar results would be seen in men, it’s one example of how moving a little bit more daily can improve health and lower risk of death.”
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Bottoms also highlighted that WHO recommends adults to work out for 150 minutes at least with moderate-intensity or 75 minutes with vigorous intensity. Research has shown that even low-intensity exercise can contribute to health improvement to a great extent and thus the steps you take on a daily basis can contribute to this weekly target.?
Bottom recommends that in order to increase your daily step count, increase the current number by 2000 steps a day. Other ways to increase more activity include walking to work, participating in online exercise programs etc.