The 10,000-steps-a-day health mantra may not be accurate, and people may need fewer steps to live healthier for longer, according to a new study published in ‘The Lancet’.
For adults over 60 years of age and older, the risk of premature death levelled off at about 6,000-8,000 steps per day, meaning that more steps than that provided no additional benefit for longevity. Adults younger than 60 saw the risk of premature death stabilise at about 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day, said the study conducted by University of Massachusetts. It analysed 15 studies covering 47,471 adults from Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America to look at the correlation between optimum number of steps per day and reduced risk of death. “Adults in the highest steps per day quartile had a 40% to 53% lower risk of mortality. Taking more steps per day was associated with a progressively lower risk of all cause mortality,” it said.
Dr Aashish Contractor from HN Reliance Hospital, Girgaum, said the 10,000 step-a-day theory was a part of a marketing campaign of a Japanese manufacturer of pedometers. “There was no scientific study done about the 10,00,000 steps, but newer research has shown that 7,000 could be the magic figure,” he said.
Earlier studies by the University of Massachusetts team showed that men and women who took at least 7,000 steps per day had a 50% to 70% lower risk for mortality than those who took fewer than 7,000 steps per day.
Dr Contractor said steps should be used as a “motivator tool” to get more active: If one is used to doing 4,000 steps a day, aim for 6,000. “Health-conscious people exercise, and they may cover 3,000 to 5,000 steps during a 30 or 45-minute exercise schedule, but it is important to ensure one takes an equal number of steps thereafter in the day,” said Dr Contractor.
