How many steps do you actually need to walk in a day?
But where did 10,000 steps come from? And does anyone really need to walk that much in a day just to be healthy?
To find out, I talked to former Surgeon General Dr. Kenneth P. Moritsugu. I wanted professional input on what a real daily step goal should be.
How many steps do I need to take in a day?
According to Dr. Moritsugu, 10,000 steps per day was simply a marketing gimmick—and not based on real health advice.
“The number of steps a person takes in a day is not an ideal benchmark nor is it an accurate indicator of physical health,” Moritsugu said. “In fact, the concept of walking 10,000 steps a day as the minimum for good health was inspired by marketing, not science, when a Japanese company launched a new pedometer named the ‘10,000-step meter’ with the slogan, ‘Let’s walk 10,000 steps a day.'”
He went on to explain that the minimum number of steps for a healthy lifestyle, but it isn’t just about steps. Exercise is critical to your health.
“In 2019, a study went on to confirm that taking only 4,400 steps can be beneficial to your health. Instead, regular exercise should be the goal, even if it is just 20 minutes per day.”
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Dr. Moritsugu had concerns over how the pandemic had impacted American’s exercise habits. Regular physical activity can help prevent chronic conditions like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, all three of which are co-morbidities associated with COVID-19. More than 70% of Americans fall into the obesity category (having a Body Mass Index higher than 30).
Health benefits of walking
According to the American Heart Association, the benefits of walking include:
- Lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia and Alzheimer’s, several types of cancer, and some complications associated with pregnancy
- Better sleep, including improvements in insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea
- Improved cognition including memory, attention, and processing speed
- Less weight gain, obesity, and related chronic health conditions
- Better bone health and balance, with less risk of injury from falls
- Fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety
- Better quality of life and sense of overall well-being
If you have a hard time walking for prolonged periods, you can set a different goal to help you achieve those 4,400 per day. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, adults need between 150 and 200 active minutes in a week. Broken down, that’s about 20 minutes a day. To get to that daily goal, you can do moderate activities like:
- Walking
- Swimming
- Riding a bike
- Tennis
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Household chores
- Dancing
If you’re trying to reach a step goal, obviously walking will be at the top of your list of activities. I’m personally no longer walking 10,000 steps in a day, but after the challenge, I’ve tried to incorporate a 20-30 minute walk into my daily routine—when it isn’t snowing, that is. From my own experience, a 30-minute walk can garner me anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 steps, depending on how fast I’m moving.
Health benefits of smartwatches
While smartwatches might overemphasize the need to walk 10,000 steps a day to be healthy, they’re still useful for your tracking your health in more ways than you might know.
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Smartwatches are at the forefront of a study in the fight against COVID-19. The Warrior Watch Study is using smartwatches like the Apple Watch Series 6 and Fitbit Sense to to better understand how to use wearable tech for better health. The study is looking at data these devices constantly collect on the wearer’s temperature. Doctors were able to detect a Coronavirus infection seven days sooner than regular testing, just from fluctuations in temperature.
