Study Finds 7,500-10,000 Daily Steps Cut Death Risk, as 30 Minutes of Brisk Walking Also Helps
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Sep 10
Study Finds 7,500-10,000 Daily Steps Cut Death Risk, as 30 Minutes of Brisk Walking Also Helps
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Sep 10
Summary
A study of about 70,000 adults aged 40 to 69 found the lowest death risk in people taking 7,500 to 10,000 steps a day, regardless of walking speed.
For adults logging under 5,000 daily steps, a faster peak 30-minute cadence — roughly 60 to 90 steps per minute, including 80 steps per minute — was linked to lower death risk than slower walking.
That brisker low-step pattern produced a death risk similar to people taking 5,000 to 7,500 steps a day at a slower pace, suggesting intensity can partly offset lower volume.
The study, published Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, said the findings could help shape step-based advice for middle-aged and older adults who struggle to raise total step counts.
Researchers said the analysis moves beyond step counts alone, though it had limits, including requiring only three days of activity data for participants to qualify.