If you want to live healthy, you should take 10,000 steps a day. So far, so well known. But where does this recommendation come from? The answer is astonishingly mundane.
Small, black and inconspicuous: this is what the box looked like with which one of my former colleagues counted her steps. She carried the box with her every day, checked it every now and then and announced the number of steps she had already taken today – or had to take shortly before the end of the day. Your goal? 10,000 steps a day. At least. If she hadn’t reached her destination by the end of the day, she planned a short walk: she ran home instead of taking the bus or took a friend’s dog out.
Looking back, I have to say: my colleague was a real pioneer. Today, common smartwatches and fitness trackers record the number of steps taken. Often the devices as well as their wearers are based on the magical 10,000 step limit. But where does it actually come from?
10,000 steps was an advertising bluff
Anyone who researches the origin of the “10,000 steps” quickly ends up with a device called “Manpo-kei”. This is a Japanese pedometer from the 1960s. To make his device known, the manufacturer first put the rule of 10,000 steps into circulation. The advertising bluff quickly established itself as a generally valid recommendation – which, however, is now being questioned by many medical professionals.
The World Health Organization (WHO) noted in 2008 that the requirement could encourage people to exercise more. For particularly sedentary people, such as office workers, it is difficult to reach. The goal should then be to increase the number of steps by about 2000 to 3000 steps a day.
In fact, some experts believe that the 10,000-step rule may be overstrained. In May 2019, the journal “Jama” published a study that suggests that 7500 steps are sufficient to reduce the risk of mortality. The validity of the study is limited, however, as it was only carried out on women with a mean age of 72 years. It is unclear whether and how the results apply to men and younger people.
Ten minutes of brisk walking
On the other hand, it is undisputed that any more exercise is fundamentally good for your health. Another measured variable could be much more important than the number of steps: the intensity of the movement. “Focus on walking fast, not just 10,000 steps,” advises about that. The agency is therefore supporting a campaign to encourage people to walk briskly for at least ten minutes a day. The health effects of brisk running have been well studied, explains British doctor Muir Gray, who used to work for the renowned Cochrane Collaboration. The effects of a mere number of steps, however, are not.
But how much exercise should it be at least? The WHO has issued a global guideline on this. The experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, which means that it stimulates the cardiovascular system. Moderate exercise can include brisk walking, cycling, or swimming. The alternative is 75 minutes of vigorous exercise such as jogging or team sports.
However, these are only the numbers for “adequate” physical activity. In order to improve health, the workload should be doubled each time – this corresponds to: 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 150 minutes of intensive training per week. People who achieve these levels improve heart and lung performance, increase muscle strength, and lower the risk of depression.
How many steps a day are recommended is not addressed in the guideline.
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