Study debunks 10,000 steps theory

A common belief that we should walk 10,000 steps a day in order to
maintain good health, may be a misconception following the release
of a new study that proposes 7,000 may be a more realistic target

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN STEPS PER DAY AND HEALTH

Hazard ratio

0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000

Number of steps taken per day

2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0

Threshold at which
exposure does not
increase or decrease
risk

Report finds that 7,000
steps per day can be
enough to boost your
brain and help protect
against range of issues

5.02km
4.87km
(Based on average UK heights)

Type 2 diabetes
Depression
Dementia
Cancer*
Cardiovascular disease*

Perception is we should
be doing 10,000 steps,
but this is in fact based on
1964 Japanese marketing
campaign for a pedometer

Sources: BBC, Lancet
Picture: Jeffrey Czum (Pexels)
*Mortality
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