This past week, Newsweek published an interesting article that posed the question: if 10,000 steps a day are good, are 20,000 steps a day better? The answer may surprise you: research shows that there wasn’t much of a difference between 10,000 steps vs. 20,000 steps when it comes to reducing the risk of all-cause mortality. A 2023 study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that walking more than 3,967 steps daily lowers the risk of death, and just 2,337 steps can lower the risk of heart disease death. A 2019 study in JAMA Neurology showed that around 8,900 steps per day can slow down brain decline in high-risk individuals.
Why Are We Fixated on 10,000 Steps a Day?
As I noted in an earlier blog, the goal of 10,000 steps comes from a 1965 marketing pitch for a Japanese pedometer called the “Manpo-kei,” which translates to “10,000 steps meter.” Somehow the marketing name for this pedometer became gospel as the daily step target!
Sally’s Advice: Add Some Strength Training
I’m not trying to talk you out of walking! I love walking, and it is an easy and effective way to improve physical health and mental well-being. Instead, I’m asking you to think beyond the daily number of steps and consider strength training. As you’ll learn in the March 13th Wellness Wednesday (12 pm PT) with Dr. Allan Mishra:
Muscle matters for healthy aging! Strength training can improve metabolic, cardiovascular, and mental health, reduce the risk of sarcopenia and falls, and strengthen the immune system. - Allan Mishra, MD
Join us to learn the science scientific evidence for why maintaining muscle mass is so important to our mobility, longevity, and enjoyment of life. Get practical advice on how to get started with strength training, even if this seems daunting!