Inquired about daily step count recommendation from a public health expert based on a recent study - discover their insightful response here
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In a groundbreaking study published in The Lancet Public Health, Professor Melody Ding, an epidemiologist and population behavioral scientist based at the University of Sydney, and her team have found that walking 7,000 steps a day can significantly reduce the risk of eight major health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and depression.
This new benchmark shifts the focus from the traditional 10,000-step goal to a more attainable target while still capturing most of the health benefits related to walking and daily movement. The study is a large systematic review and meta-analysis analysing data from 57 studies across multiple countries, making it the most comprehensive to date on this topic.
The research shows that health benefits increase with every 1,000-step increment up to 7,000 steps, after which the benefits plateau or taper off. Professor Ding emphasized that even people who cannot yet achieve 7,000 steps still gain significant health improvements from smaller increases, such as going from 2,000 to 4,000 steps per day.
Walking as little as 3,867 steps a day reduces the risk of all-cause mortality (death from any cause). Achieving 7,000 steps per day is an achievable goal for most people. Taking more steps than 7,000 per day will still benefit your health.
The study, led by Professor Ding, who has also co-edited the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, is a significant step forward in understanding the impact of step count on health outcomes. However, the field still needs to agree on which metrics are the most relevant to what health outcomes, so more research is needed in this area.
The study by Ding's team does not focus on cadence, but rather on step count. Professor Ding mentions that the next step for step-count research will probably be around cadence-the number of steps taken per minute and the speed at which one walks. The research on step count and health outcomes is still ongoing, and more research is needed to agree on the most relevant metrics.
Professor Ding's team's study is a milestone in the field, providing a clear and achievable target for daily physical activity. As the world becomes increasingly sedentary, understanding the importance of simple activities like walking for our health is more important than ever.
[1] Ding, M., et al. (2021). Association of step count with health outcomes in 434,790 individuals in the UK Biobank: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. The Lancet Public Health. [2] University of Sydney. (2021, February 12). New research shows 7,000 steps a day is the optimal number for health benefits in walking. ScienceDaily. [3] University of California - San Diego. (2021, February 12). New research shows 7,000 steps a day is the optimal number for health benefits in walking. EurekAlert! Science News.
Fitness enthusiasts can find solace in the current science that suggests walking 7,000 steps a day contributes significantly to health-and-wellness outcomes, such as reduced risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and depression. By adopting this daily goal of fitness-and-exercise, people can reap benefits even when fall short of the mark, with smaller increases being impactful, such as going from 2,000 to 4,000 steps per day.
