Is 7000 steps the new magic number for better health and fitness?

The popular belief is that 10,000 steps a day keeps the doctor away. However, the past decade has seen a rapid advancement in the evidence surrounding step counts. Thanks to all the research that is being conducted to study the relationship between health and step count, there is much more reliable and scientifically validated data available today.

7000 STEPS A DAY KEEPS DIABETES AND DEPRESSION AWAY?

According to the latest study, which was published in the Lancet Public Health journal this August, daily steps should be considered a practical metric for physical activity guidelines and recommendations. They found that 7,000 steps per day is linked to a 37% reduction in risk of dying from cancer, while the risk was 14% lower for type 2 diabetes, 38% for dementia, 22% depression and 28% for falls. Those who walked 7,000 steps per day as compared to 2,000 steps also faced 25% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and enjoyed a 47% reduction in overall risk of dying.

A previous study had shown that 2,000 steps was the point at which people start enjoying health benefits. This systematic review, which included meta-analyses of data from 24 cohorts across eight outcomes, is the largest and most comprehensive synthesis of the association between daily steps and major health outcomes to date.

An older study from 2022, also published in The Lancet, had found that adults who walk more had a 40% to 53% lower risk of all cause mortality. For this paper, researchers analysed 15 studies that covered the health and fitness of over 47,000 people, over a period of seven years. They also found that taking more steps per day was associated with a progressively lower risk of all-cause mortality but varied by age. There was progressively lower risk of mortality among adults aged 60 years and older who walked about 6,000–8,000 steps per day, and among adults younger than 60 years who walked about 8,000–10,000 steps per day.

Despite greater awareness and growing evidence, one in three adults worldwide is insufficiently active (not meeting the recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity), and there are concerning trends of stagnation or worsening in many countries, warn the authors of the study. Globally, insufficient physical activity accounts for up to 8% of non-communicable diseases every year. While acknowledging that step counts do not cover activities such as swimming, cycling or rowing, the authors of the study suggest that the message that “every step counts for those who are able" should be emphasised as a core public health message.

As for those who think a higher step count leads to greater benefits and significantly lower health risks, the researchers note that beyond the daily 7,000 steps health improvement was small, and there was no statistical difference between 7,000 steps per day and a higher step count. Also, is meeting your step count target likely to make you fitter?

FOCUS ON THE WORKOUT, NOT STEP COUNT

“Literate humans like numbers. Nowadays, everyone believes that if you complete 10,000 steps a day it’s good for your health and fitness," says Gagan Arora, Delhi-based coach and founder of Kosmic Fitness. While racking up a certain number of steps in a day is good for your health, believing that it is also going to make you fit is a folly. “Most fitness coaches would tell you merely tracking and meeting the daily target of 10,000 steps isn’t enough," says Kaustav Baruah, a Level 3 CrossFit coach from Bengaluru. “Walking doesn’t make anyone fit or healthy… it’s just a start. You have to take into consideration the intensity, effort, quality and the way those steps are achieved."

Three people might take the same number of steps while working on a standing desk, playing football for an hour and running 10km. All three could have run up the exact same number of steps but all three would have had very different kinds of workouts. While the one working on a standing desk would have merely met the step count and would enjoy the health benefits that come with it, the one playing football would experience the same effects as that of interval training, which help burn fat. And the one running 10km would have had a proper cardio workout which improves endurance and lung capacity. Movement plays a huge role in overall health than exercise, explains Arora.

“Think of movement as the cricket ground and exercise as the pitch. There is a lot of action on the pitch with every ball but all the fielders are equally important to make a team win," he adds. Keeping a high step target should be the baseline for daily health. One can accomplish this by walking in office or home, trotting up and down the staircase. “The active day should be complemented by 30-60 minutes of workout and there should be no long periods without some sort of physical movement," says Arora.

Shrenik Avlani is a writer and editor and the co-author of The Shivfit Way, a book on functional fitness.