The goal of walking 10,000 steps a day has been thrown around for years in the health industry. Recent studies published in JAMA Internal Medicine and JAMA Neurology are the largest conducted to “objectively track step count in relation to health outcomes.” They tracked 78,500 adults with wearable trackers and found “lowered risk of dementia, heart disease, cancer and death are associated with achieving 10,000 steps a day.” Even more interesting, they also found that “a faster stepping pace like a power walk showed benefits above and beyond the number of steps achieved.” These findings suggest that one does not necessarily need to walk 10,000 steps if one can walk at a faster pace, even if it isn’t as many steps.
Should We Aim for 10k Steps a Day? Maybe Not.
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The ideas expressed here are solely the opinions of the author and are not researched or verified by AGEIST LLC, or anyone associated with AGEIST LLC. This material should not be construed as medical advice or recommendation, it is for informational use only. We encourage all readers to discuss with your qualified practitioners the relevance of the application of any of these ideas to your life. The recommendations contained herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. You should always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any new treatment or stopping any treatment that has been prescribed for you by your physician or other qualified health provider. Please call your doctor or 911 immediately if you think you may have a medical or psychiatric emergency.