Study Reveals How Many Steps You Actually Need

Why 10,000 Isn’t Enough

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My Longevity Experiment
November 13, 2024

New Insights on Daily Steps and Cardiovascular Health

A groundbreaking study from the University of Alabama reveals that walking an extra 500 steps daily, approximately a quarter mile, may significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, stroke, and heart failure. This preliminary research was presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions.

Study Highlights

Dr. Erin E. Dooley, lead researcher and assistant professor of Epidemiology at the University of Alabama’s Birmingham School of Public Health, stated, "Steps are an easy way to measure physical activity, and more daily steps were associated with a lower risk of having a cardiovascular disease-related event in older adults." Dr. Dooley pointed out that most research has focused on younger adults with step goals of 10,000 or more—goals that may not be feasible for older populations.

The Origin of the 10,000 Steps Myth

The widely popular 10,000-step goal has no scientific basis. In the mid-1960s, Japanese marketers promoting a pedometer named it "manpokei," meaning "10,000 step-meter." This figure became a marketing tactic rather than a medically established recommendation, as the Japanese character for “10,000” resembles a person walking. Contrary to popular belief, the number was not derived from health research.

The Cohort and Methodology

Participants in this analysis were drawn from the larger Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, initially comprising 15,792 adults. This subset aimed to explore daily steps' effect on cardiovascular disease, using data from 452 participants who wore hip-mounted accelerometers, similar to pedometers, for three or more days for at least 10 hours per day. The average age was 78, with 59% identifying as women and 20% as Black adults, among whom 70% were women and 30% men.

Protocol and Findings

The study observed an average step count of around 3,500 per day among participants. Over three and a half years, 7.5% of participants experienced cardiovascular events such as coronary heart disease, stroke, or heart failure. Adults averaging 4,500 steps per day saw a 77% reduction in cardiovascular event risk compared to those with fewer than 2,000 steps per day. Notably, for every additional 500 steps, there was an associated 14% decrease in cardiovascular disease risk.

Professor Dooley remarked, "It's important to maintain physical activity as we age; however, daily step goals should also be attainable. We were surprised to find that every additional quarter mile, or 500 steps, of walking had such a strong benefit to heart health. While we do not want to diminish the importance of higher intensity physical activity, encouraging small increases in the number of daily steps also has significant cardiovascular benefits. If you are an older adult over the age of 70, start with trying to get 500 more steps per day."

Implications for Cardiovascular Health

Further research is required to confirm whether meeting specific step counts can delay or prevent cardiovascular disease, or if lower step counts may indicate underlying health issues. The American Heart Association's "Life’s Essential 8" encourages key habits for cardiovascular health, such as eating a nutritious diet, staying active, avoiding smoking, sleeping well, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.

Study Limitations

Certain limitations impact the study's generalizability. Participants who opted into the accelerometer device study often had higher education levels than the broader ARIC sample and were predominantly white and female. Moreover, accelerometers, which were only worn on the hip, may not fully capture other beneficial activities like cycling or swimming. Additionally, step counts were only recorded once, meaning changes in activity levels over time could not be assessed in relation to cardiovascular outcomes.

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