New study shows 10k isn't the ideal number of steps, this is

New study shows 10k isn’t the ideal number of steps, this is

Posted by author September 10, 2024 Fitness

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10k is nothing more than an arbitrary number when it comes to steps. In actual fact, it was originally a marketing tool, and studies have proven that it’s not a necessary benchmark – you can yield significant health benefits with far fewer steps.

The latest research analysed the relationship between daily step counts and the risk of passing away (all-cause mortality) and cardiovascular issues on 111k individuals across 12 studies. It concluded that just 2.6k steps per day could reduce mortality, while benefits increased with higher step counts – until plateauing at 8.8k steps.

Another particularly interesting finding was that hip movement was associated with greater risk reductions than wrist movement, suggesting that hip mobility is more important than wrist mobility for reducing the chance of all-cause mortality.

Full transparency: if you read our last report on the ideal number of steps to rack up per day, you’ll know that the study in question advised 4k. And now we’re throwing another number into the mix? Confusing, we know.

The thing is, researchers acknowledge that while there is a clear correlation between walking more and better health, reverse causality may be at play: healthier people may manage to stay more active and hit more steps than unfit people. So, the benefits showing that people who do more steps within each day are healthier may not necessarily be a result of the walking itself, but of their healthier lifestyles.

It’s also worth noting that other research recommends taking shorter walks at several times throughout each day, as opposed to taking a single, longer walk. The type of walk you do, and your body type will also influence how much a walk benefits you. You may walk faster than others, on a different type of terrain, and/or have more muscle than others.

The bottom line is that there’s no use in holding yourself to these numbers when it comes to steps – but it is worth knowing that 10k certainly isn’t the golden number. Find a realistic and sustainable step count that makes you feel good – and do that.

Read now: How to build self-compassion and confidence

Bridie is Fitness Director at Women’s Health UK. She spends her days sweating over new workouts, fitness launches and the best home gym kit so you have all that you need to get fit done. Her work has been published in Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan and more. She’s also a part-time yoga teacher with a habit of nodding off mid savasana (not when she’s teaching, promise).