The study conducted by researchers, led by Matthew Ahmadi, an epidemiologist at the University of Sydney, sheds light on the significant health benefits associated with increasing daily step counts. According to Ahmadi, engaging in 9,000 to 10,000 steps per day was correlated with a notable reduction in the risk of mortality by over a third and a decrease in cardiovascular disease risk by at least 20 percent. Even smaller increases in daily steps were found to yield benefits, emphasizing the importance of physical activity in promoting health and lowering disease risk.
Ashley Goodwin, an exercise scientist at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, New York, emphasized the study’s contribution to existing evidence on the positive effects of walking in reducing cardiovascular risk and mortality. She highlighted the intriguing finding that the health benefits of increased step counts were consistent across individuals who spent long periods seated each day and those who sat less.
One notable aspect of the study was the comparison between different daily step counts and their impact on cardiovascular and mortality risks relative to individuals who took 2,200 daily steps—the daily maximum for 5 percent of the study population. This comparison helped assess whether increasing daily steps could counteract the risks associated with prolonged sedentary behavior, especially in individuals spending a significant portion of their day seated.
Overall, the study underscores the importance of incorporating physical activity, such as walking, into daily routines to mitigate cardiovascular risks and enhance overall health, regardless of an individual’s starting point or sedentary behavior.
Every extra step helps
The study findings highlight the significant impact of increasing daily step counts on reducing the risk of heart disease and mortality, particularly among highly sedentary individuals. Despite starting from a lower baseline of physical activity, both highly sedentary and less sedentary people experienced similar risk reductions from higher step counts.
A notable aspect of the study was the dose-response relationship observed, indicating that as daily step counts increased, the risk of heart disease or death decreased accordingly. For highly sedentary individuals, the benefits of increased step counts were evident even at relatively modest levels, with a 10 percent reduction in heart disease risk observed at around 4,300 steps per day and a 20 percent reduced risk of death at approximately 4,100 steps per day. Doubling these step counts led to a doubling of the observed benefits.
Moreover, the study found that by reaching around 9,000 to 9,700 daily steps, highly sedentary individuals experienced significant reductions in the risk of heart disease and death. Remarkably, at around 6,000 daily steps, highly sedentary individuals obtained similar benefits to those who were more physically active.
Dr. Mario Garcia, a cardiologist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, emphasized the importance of increasing physical activity, especially considering the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles, particularly in the post-pandemic era. With the average American typically achieving around 4,000 steps a day, there is ample room for improvement through simple measures like walking. Notably, individuals over the age of 60 derived the most benefit from increased physical activity, likely due to the rapid deconditioning that occurs with aging.
Ways to increase daily steps
The study underscores the importance of increasing daily step counts, particularly for individuals who cannot reduce their sedentary time. With the widespread use of wearable devices for tracking physical activity, it has become easier to monitor daily steps and make incremental improvements.
Matthew Ahmadi emphasizes that significant changes don’t have to happen overnight. Ashley Goodwin’s research suggests that increasing daily steps by just 1,000 can yield substantial benefits in reducing the risk of heart disease and mortality over several years. This modest increase is achievable for most individuals and can be incorporated into daily routines without major disruption.
For those who dislike walking, Goodwin recommends exploring alternative activities to increase physical activity. Simple strategies like parking further away, taking the stairs, or walking a portion of the commute can add up to extra steps throughout the day. Even just 10 minutes of walking to achieve an additional 1,000 steps is manageable for most people.
Evan Brittain suggests considering weekly step counts as well, noting that consistent activity over the week, even if concentrated on weekends, can yield similar benefits to daily activity. However, he stresses the importance of maintaining consistency in physical activity habits over time, as some individuals may revert to sedentary behavior once the novelty of tracking wears off.
Brittain remains cautious about drawing definitive conclusions from the study’s findings, highlighting the challenge of extrapolating short-term monitoring data to long-term behavior patterns. While the study provides valuable insights, further research is needed to better understand the relationship between step counts, sedentary behavior, and long-term health outcomes.
How the study was done
The study involved over 100,000 adults from a large, ongoing study in the United Kingdom. Participants were provided with highly accurate accelerometers, worn on their wrists 24 hours a day for a week. Data from 72,174 participants who wore the device for at least 3 days, including a weekend day, for at least 16 hours a day (including during sleep), were analyzed. The average age of participants was 61 years old, and their cardiovascular and mortality outcomes were tracked for an average of seven years.
Researchers adjusted their analysis to consider various factors among participants, including age, sex, ethnicity, education level, smoking status, alcohol consumption, dietary habits, family medical history, sleep duration, and medication use for conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.
The study aimed to address potential confounding factors that could influence outcomes, such as whether individuals who engaged in more physical activity also had fewer risk factors for cardiovascular events. By accounting for these variables, the researchers aimed to isolate the impact of physical activity on health outcomes.
While the study provided valuable insights, it had limitations. For instance, it could not account for changes in participants’ activity levels over time. However, data from a subset of participants who wore the accelerometers again after two to four years indicated consistent activity levels. Despite this limitation, the study’s findings suggest that increasing physical activity levels can lead to health benefits, and even modest increases in activity may yield positive outcomes.
According to Mario Garcia, the study’s comprehensive analysis of various risk factors and consistent activity tracking provide confidence in its findings. Evan Brittain agrees, emphasizing that the study’s key message is the importance of physical activity for health and well-being, with benefits potentially achievable at lower activity levels than commonly believed.