It’s okay if walkers miss
the 10,000-step standard
Over the last several years, many
people have embraced the notion
that 10,000 daily steps are the
way to being physically fi t. Health experts
espouse that notion and trainers
endorse it, but is there scientifi c proof
behind the recommendation?
The 10,000-step standard — which
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equates to roughly fi ve miles, depending
on a person’s stride length and
speed — has some surprising origins
that are not necessarily rooted
in medical science. I-Min Lee, a professor
of epidemiology at the Harvard
University T. H. Chan School of
Public Health and the lead author of
a new study published in May 2019 in
The Journal of the American Medical
Association wanted to explore the
origins of the 10,000-step recommendation.
She discovered the guideline
evolved from a marketing strategy devised
by a Japanese company called
Yamasa Toki. That fi rm introduced
its new step-counter in 1965, naming
it Manpo-Kei, which translated into
“10,000 steps meter.” They marketed
the meter using the Japanese character
for “10,000,” which resembles
a man walking. The character and
round number proved memorable and
the slogan, “Let’s walk 10,000 steps a
day” was catchy. As a result, many
people adopted the 10,000-step approach,
even though its medical benefi
ts might not have been proven.
But this isn’t to suggest that taking
10,000 steps per day cannot be part of a
healthy living plan. In fact, such a goal
promotes physical activity, which is a
key component of a healthy lifestyle.
However, simply taking 10,000 steps
per day might not be enough to achieve
long-term health.
Lee conducted her own research to
test if the Japanese were on to something
by inadvertently setting the
10,000-step standard. She found that
an increase in walking correlated to
lower mortality rates among more
than 16,000 elderly American women.
However, when these women reached
about 7,500 steps the mortality rates
leveled out, suggesting that those extra
2,500 steps might not be necessary.
Even the manufacturer of one of the
most popular fi tness trackers, Fitbit,
says that users’ step goals can vary depending
on need, and that goals may
even shift over time. People who are
looking to lose weight and maintain
their existing health will need to modify
their step count accordingly. Working
with a qualifi ed trainer or using
a medically sanctioned training program
can help people exercise safely
and effectively.
Taking 10,000 steps per day may
help people achieve their health-related
goals. But 10,000 steps alone
likely won’t be enough to achieve optimal
health.
Walking is a great way
to stay fi t — even if
you don’t take 10,000
steps every day.
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