Daily Steps: How Many Are Needed for Better Health? A Summary of New Research

A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis, published in The Lancet Public Health, has mapped the relationship between the number of daily steps and the incidence of a range of diseases and mortality. The study provides nuanced knowledge that can help us set more realistic and effective physical activity goals.

Background: The Global Physical Inactivity Crisis

The authors emphasize that regular physical activity is one of the most important measures for preventing disease. It reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, certain types of cancer, and premature death. Yet, one-third of the world’s adult population is insufficiently active. This inactivity contributes to up to 8% of all non-communicable diseases and leads to societal economic costs of billions of dollars annually. Despite increasing awareness, previous reviews have often focused on few health outcomes. This study takes a broader perspective and also includes mental and cognitive outcomes.

Scope and Methods of the Study

The study included 57 cohort studies in the systematic review, and 31 of these could be included in a meta-analysis to quantify the effects. The researchers examined the relationship between daily steps and:

• All-cause mortality

• Cardiovascular diseases

• Cancer

• Type 2 diabetes

• Cognitive outcomes (such as dementia)

• Mental health (depressive symptoms)

• Physical function and falls

Key Findings: Not All Steps Are Equal

A central finding was that the relationship between steps and health is not always linear. For several outcomes, such as all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and falls, an inverse non-linear dose-response was found. This means that the greatest health gains are achieved at lower step counts, with diminishing returns after a certain inflection point. These inflection points were around 5,000–7,000 steps per day.

For other outcomes, such as mortality from cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and depressive symptoms, the relationship was inverse and linear – the more steps, the better, without a clear point of diminishing returns.

The Power of 7,000 Steps: A Concrete Comparison

To illustrate the health effect, the authors compared an activity level of 2,000 steps per day (similar to a sedentary lifestyle) with 7,000 steps per day. For those who walked 7,000 steps, the risk was reduced as follows:

• 47% lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR 0.53)

• 25% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease (HR 0.75)

• 47% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (HR 0.53)

• 37% lower risk of dying from cancer (HR 0.63)

• 38% lower risk of dementia (HR 0.62)

• 28% lower risk of falls (HR 0.72)

• 22% lower risk of depressive symptoms (HR 0.78)

• 14% lower risk of type 2 diabetes (HR 0.86)

No significant association was found for cancer incidence (6% reduction, HR 0.94).

Conclusion and Recommendations

The study concludes that while 10,000 steps remains a good goal for those who are physically active, 7,000 steps per day may be a more realistic and yet highly effective target for broader population groups. This number is associated with clinically meaningful improvements for a range of serious health conditions.

Important to Note:
The researchers point out that the findings should be interpreted with caution due to some limitations. These include a limited number of studies for some outcomes, a lack of analyses accounting for age-specific effects, and the potential for biases in the underlying studies. Nevertheless, this research underscores that every step counts, and that moving away from a sedentary lifestyle is the most important step towards better health.

References (fictitiously numbered in the example):

1. The Lancet Public Health (2024). [Article Title].

2. Warburton, DER., et al. (2006). [Reference on physical activity].

3. Lee, I-M., et al. (2012). [Reference on inactivity and disease burden].

4. Ding, D., et al. (2016). [Reference on societal costs].

5. Guthold, R., et al. (2018). [Reference on global trends].

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