Health

New Research Challenges 10,000-Step Goal, Suggesting Exercise Duration May Be Just as Effective for Heart Health and Longevity

January, 08, 2025-04:31

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New Research Challenges 10,000-Step Goal, Suggesting Exercise Duration May Be Just as Effective for Heart Health and Longevity

Achieving a daily goal of at least 10,000 steps has been widely regarded as the benchmark for physical fitness.
Nonetheless, recent research indicates that concentrating on the duration of your exercise may be equally effective for weight management, longevity, and a lower incidence of heart disease.

Investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston analyzed data from approximately 15,000 women over the age of 62, tracked over a four-year period.

Each participant utilized a fitness tracker to monitor their activity levels and completed health questionnaires annually.
The findings revealed that women who averaged 8,000 to 8,500 steps daily experienced a 40 percent reduction in heart disease risk, in stark contrast to those who averaged about 3,000 steps each day. The study, published on Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine, required participants to wear hip-mounted fitness trackers to quantify both exercise time and steps.

Additionally, the same risk reduction was observed in those who exercised for 75 minutes a day, indicating that tracking steps may not be essential.

This study is among several recent analyses that challenge the 10,000-step guideline, as some health professionals suggest there is no specific “magic” number for physical activity.

Dr. Rikuta Hamaya, the principal author of the study and a researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital's Division of Preventive Medicine, remarked, “For certain individuals, particularly younger ones, exercise may encompass activities such as tennis or jogging, which can easily be quantified by steps.”
“Conversely, for others, it may involve cycling or swimming, where it’s simpler to monitor exercise duration. Thus, it's crucial for physical activity guidelines to provide various avenues for achieving fitness goals. Movement varies for everyone, and almost all types of movement promote health.”

The research team enlisted 14,399 healthy women over 62, indicating they did not suffer from heart disease or cancer, with an average age of 72.
From 2011 to 2015, every participant was instructed to wear a fitness tracker continuously, even during sleep or while bathing.

Annually, the researchers collected data through questionnaires regarding habits like smoking and alcohol consumption, weight, height, menopause, and medical history, both personal and familial.

This information was essential in assessing participants' heart disease risk and longevity.
The researchers-maintained contact with the participants until the end of 2022.

On average, participants performed around 62 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise weekly and logged about 5,183 steps daily. By 2022, 9 percent of participants had died, and 4 percent had developed heart disease.

The women were categorized into percentiles based on their minutes of exercise or number of steps