'Forget 10,000 steps: The surprisingly doable daily goal that boosts your heart and brain'

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If you have ever glanced at your fitness tracker at 10pm and seriously considered jogging on the spot next to the kettle, you already understand the grip 10,000-steps has - the all-pervasive idea that we should be hitting exactly that number of steps a day to keep healthy and fit. But where did it come from? And more importantly, does it actually matter?

Where did it come from?

It turns out the 10,000-step target is not ancient wisdom. It is not even modern wisdom. It is, in fact, an excellent bit of 1960s marketing. Dr Paul Kelly, Lecturer in Physical Activity for Health at the University of Edinburgh, explains that the 10,000-steps-a-day campaign was created by a Japanese pedometer company during the build-up to the 1964 Olympics to encourage people to get fitter. Why 10,000? The Japanese symbol for 10,000 resembles a person walking. Dr Kelly says, "There was no scientific basis for the specific goal. However, earlier studies, including the 1953 Bus Conductor Study, which compared bus conductors with sedentary drivers, had already shown that those who walked more had better heart health." In other words, it’s a total myth.

Why does it persist?

One reason is that it is a neat, memorable round number. For a reasonably fit and active person, it is also achievable. At a reasonable pace, 10,000 steps is almost five miles and would take between one and two hours if done all at once. But for sedentary people, who stand to gain the most from walking, it can feel discouraging.

So, what’s the truth?

Fortunately, the science of step counts has grown rapidly, and the message is far kinder than the old pedometer slogan. An analysis in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology looked at 17 studies involving more than 200,000 people. It found that as few as 2,337 steps a day began to lower the risk of dying from heart and circulatory diseases. At around 3,867 steps, the risk of dying from any cause fell too, and every additional 1,000 brought a further 15 per cent reduction. For people over 60, the biggest improvements were between 6,000 and 10,000 steps. For younger adults, the sweet spot was roughly 7,000 to 13,000.

Newer research keeps lowering the threshold. A Harvard study of more than 13,000 women over 62 found that reaching 4,000 steps on just one or two days a week was linked with a 26 per cent lower risk of death and a 27 per cent lower risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke compared with those who never reached that level. Hitting 4,000 steps on three or more days cuts the risk of early death by 40 per cent.

The University of Alabama reported similar findings in older adults with an average age of 78. Heart benefits began at just 3,000 steps, and each additional 500 steps lowered cardiovascular risk by 14 per cent. Walking 4,500 steps reduced the risk of heart attack or stroke by 77 per cent compared with 2,000 steps.

What about dementia?

The science on dementia now adds even more weight to the idea that small amounts of movement matter. A new nine-year study from Harvard Medical School, published in Nature Medicine, followed almost 300 older adults with early brain signs of Alzheimer's. Walking even 3,000 steps a day slowed cognitive decline in those with higher levels of amyloid beta, the protein linked to Alzheimer's. More isn't always better. There was an optimal range of 5,000 to 7,500 before the effect levelled off. A UK study of more than 1,100 people aged 50 or older reached a similar conclusion. Those who stayed moderately or vigorously active had a 34 to 50 per cent lower risk of dementia over eight to ten years.

How should I get started?

How you walk matters too. Consistent ten to fifteen-minute bouts, roughly 1,000 to 1,500 steps, appear more effective than scattering the same number of steps across tiny bursts. The University of Leicester found that a brisk ten-minute daily walk was linked to nearly an extra year of life for women and more than a year for men, with even greater gains at 30 minutes.

If you can walk fast, great. If not, do not worry. Faster pace builds more muscle and improves cardiovascular fitness, but walking is never a waste of time. Dr Kelly says simply being outside is good for mood, stress and overall mental wellbeing. He says that people who walk more than 7,000 steps a day have around a 30 per cent lower risk of developing depression compared with people who walk less. Even modest step counts are linked with fewer symptoms. And while the long-term benefits are real, the nicest thing about a walk, says Dr Kelly, is that it "makes you feel better straight away".

So, what are the magic numbers?

• Most people: around 7,000 to 8,000 steps a day.

• Age 60 and over: from 3,000 to 10,000 steps.

• Under 60: benefits increase between 7,000 and 13,000 steps a day.

Words above from article seen here

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Articles (and comments) within this blog are provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, including medication, you should contact your Doctor/local health care provider.

All the best Jan