“10,000 steps” has become the gold standard in our health consciousness. Despite the continuous effort, at times, it becomes disappointing if we are unable to hit the goal. Eventually, we end up ditching the effort altogether, calling the milestone “too ambitious”.
However, as experts label sitting “the new smoking”, there is no denying that increased physical activity can reduce the risk of multiple disorders. It is known to prevent cardiovascular disease, dementia, cancers and premature death apart from inducing a plethora of other positive effects on bone and muscle health, metabolism, mood and anxiety.
While many studies document the health benefits of attaining 10,000 steps, the goal may not be sustainable for all, including older adults, elders and people with chronic diseases.
But do we really need to hit the 10,000-step goal or a little lesser is equally beneficial? What’s the story behind “10,000 steps”? Let’s decode.
How 10,000 steps became benchmark
While many journals claim that the origin of the goal of 10,000 steps per day is unclear, one can trace it back to 1965 according to a theory.
It is likely derived from the brand name of a pedometer sold by Yamasa Clock and Instrument Company in Japan called Manpo-kei, which translates to “10,000 steps meter” in Japanese.
Dr Vivek Chaturvedi, head of department, cardiology, at Faridabad’s Amrita Hospital also pointed towards the same theory, saying the idea of walking 10,000 steps was started as a marketing campaign (for a pedometer) at Tokyo Olympics in 1964.
Walking for healthy adults & those with ailments
Before writing this column, I spoke to several doctors from different specialities who all believe that it is important to build steps gradually and not overexert, especially if you are new to exercise or have any health concerns.
“When it comes to health, every step counts,” Chaturvedi from Amrita Hospitals told me. “The benefits of moving are evident at even as low as 4,000 steps a day and continue to increase with increasing activity. The biggest benefits are seen in the first 5,000 steps with the magnitude decreasing with increasing step count. In fact, walking faster increases the benefits.”
According to popular endocrinologist Dr Anoop Misra, who is also the executive chairman at Fortis C-DOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences, one can start with just 3,000 steps which last about 30 minutes.
However, the idea is to increase it to 45-60 minutes daily in order to achieve weight loss, which may mean 6,000 steps.
For people suffering from diabetes, thyroid or endocrinological disorders, Misra advised that 50,000 steps per week is a reasonable goal — which translates to about 7,000 steps per day.
Dr BS Murthy, Director — orthopaedics, Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, New Delhi, also suggested at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.
This can include walking, jogging, or any other activity that gets your heart rate up and makes you break a sweat. One can start walking when on phone call or can choose stairs over escalators.
“Even 6,000 steps per day can lead to significant health benefits and evident improvements can be seen if done regularly,” he said.
Another expert, Dr Hemendra Agarwal, who is a joint replacement and sports arthroscopy surgeon at Narayana Multispeciality Hospital in Jaipur, believes that the ideal step count may vary for each individual based on their age, fitness level, and health status.
“Rather than focusing solely on step count, it is essential to focus on overall physical activity. In arthritic joint cases, walking is an excellent alternative to running that can provide similar health benefits but without the high-impact stress on the body.”
Higher Steps, Lower Death Rates
There are several studies that establish the relationship between higher steps and lower death rates.
In 2019, a study published in a peer-reviewed JAMA medical journal asked the basic question “Are increased numbers of steps per day associated with lower mortality rates among older women?”
In the study, the steps of more than 16,000 women with a mean age of 72 years were noted every day for the next seven days.
The results were interesting.
Women who averaged approximately 4,400 steps per day had significantly lower mortality rates during a follow-up of 4.3 years compared with the least active women who took approximately 2,700 steps per day.
The study showed that with more steps per day, mortality rates (death rates) progressively decreased before levelling at approximately 7,500 steps per day.
More studies highlight more benefits.
In a study published in 2016, the 30 participants who completed 10,000 steps per day had significantly lower anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, confusion, and total mood distress scores compared with measurements taken prior to 10,000 steps.
In terms of physical health, the participants who accrued 10,000 steps a day had significantly lower body weight, waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure.
According to another study published in 2018, people who undertook a 100-day 10,000-step programme showed improved mental health and well-being.
In short…
10,000 or 7,000 or 5,000 — Magic figures are probably for engineers or mathematicians but medicine is all about individual variations.
Understand your body and its limitations. Overall, one needs to be cautious against extremes such as no exercise or heavy unmonitored exercise. If you are looking at the easier target, try and first achieve the 5,000-step benchmark followed by the next goal of 7,000 steps.
The mantra is: Start slowly, listen to your body and find activities that are enjoyable and sustainable in the long term.
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