Fewer daily steps than you might think can lengthen your life.

Fewer daily steps than you might think can lengthen your life.

The Power of Steps: Improving Heart Health One Step at a Time

person walking

If you’re one of the millions of folks bent on racking up at least 10,000 steps a day, here’s some good news for you. A new study has found that heart health improvement starts with as few as 2,300 steps a day, and the risk of dying from any disease starts to decrease with just about 4,000 daily steps[^1^].

The study, analyzing 17 previous studies involving about 227,000 people, revealed that the more daily steps you get, the bigger the benefit becomes[^1^]. Adults over the age of 60 saw a risk of death reduced by 42% if they walked between 6,000 and 10,000 steps a day, while younger adults experienced a 49% reduction when walking between 7,000 and 13,000 steps a day[^1^]. Every increase of steps by 1,000 steps/day resulted in a 15% reduction in the risk of dying from any cause and each increase of 500 steps per day reduced the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 7%[^1^].

Ten thousand steps per day, equivalent to about 4-5 miles of walking, is still a correct way of thinking if we take into account the most significant reduction in death rates, according to the study author Dr. Maciej Banach[^1^]. However, the researchers have not found an upper step limit yet, indicating there is no such thing as too many steps[^1^].

The study wasn’t designed to determine how or if walking lowers the risk of dying, but rather to establish an association between steps and health benefits[^1^]. Nevertheless, it is well-known that leading a sedentary lifestyle can have adverse effects on our overall health and may even shorten our life expectancy[^1^]. According to data from the World Health Organization, physical inactivity contributes to 3.2 million deaths annually[^1^]. This study further emphasizes the importance of keeping an active lifestyle.

Amanda Paluch, an assistant professor of kinesiology at the Institute for Applied Life Sciences at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, agrees with the study findings, stating, “This study is consistent and reiterates what we have previously seen”[^1^]. Paluch emphasizes the significance of moving more and sitting less: “The bottom line? ‘Move more and sit less’”[^1^].

The health benefits of walking are not solely reserved for those who achieve the lofty goal of 10,000 steps per day, according to Paluch[^1^]. “It is not an all-or-nothing situation,” she states. Even if you don’t reach 10,000 steps, starting where you are and making small, incremental increases in steps per day can make a difference in your health[^1^]. For example, if you are starting at 3,000 steps, work your way up to 4,000, then 5,000[^1^]. “These gradual improvements can be meaningful for your health, and for those people already at higher levels of steps per day, keep it up,” adds Paluch[^1^].

The findings of this study highlight the effectiveness of walking on improving heart health and overall well-being. So, lace up your shoes, step outside, and start your journey toward a healthier life—one step at a time.

exercise

Sources

  • Maciej Banach, MD, PhD, professor of cardiology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland, and adjunct professor, Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore
  • Amanda Paluch, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Kinesiology, Institute for Applied Life Sciences, University of Massachusetts-Amherst
  • European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, Aug. 9, 2023

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