The Health Benefits of Walking and Higher Step Counts

You may have heard walking 10,000 steps per day is the holy grail. While it’s a great goal, especially if you’ve been sedentary, it’s actually an arbitrary number that isn’t right for everyone. Some people may be able to surpass 10,000 steps easily. Others may feel intimidated by the number and decide not to make an effort if they feel like it’s unattainable.

Research shows health benefits to increasing your step count, even if you’re walking fewer than 10,000 steps per day.

When you walk more than 5,000 steps per day, the health benefits increase. A review published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity analyzed 17 previously published studies about step counts, heart disease and causes of death. The average study participant walked about 6,000 steps per day. Researchers found walking 1,000 additional steps per day lowered the risk of premature death from heart disease, stroke and all other causes.

Other research similarly found taking more steps per day lowers your risk of dying of any cause, regardless of your age, gender and race. The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed people who increased their step count from 4,000 to 8,000 steps per day had a 51% lower risk of death from all causes. When they walked 12,000 steps per day, their risk of death from all causes was 65% lower than those who only walked 4,000 steps.

Walking too few steps per day may also cause exercise resistance, meaning you may not burn fat efficiently, according to a recent study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. The research showed people who took 5,000 or fewer steps per day experienced exercise resistance, whereas those who took 8,500 steps did not, suggesting walking 8,500 steps per day is health-protective.

The people who had the greatest number of steps per day tended to walk with higher intensity, but you don’t have to be a fast walker to lower your risk of death from all causes, according to the study — you just have to log the steps.

Also Read: Obesity And Mental Health Are Connected