A new study by the University of Sydney has confirmed that walking 10,000 steps daily can significantly reduce the risk of premature death and cardiovascular disease, even if sedentary behavior is prevalent the rest of the time. The research, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that optimal health benefits are achieved at a daily step count of 9,000 to 10,000 steps.
The study tracked the daily step count and sedentary time of 72,174 individuals using accelerometers and monitored their health trajectories via hospitalization data and death records. The results showed that 10,000 steps a day reduced the risk of premature mortality by 39% and cardiovascular disease risk by 21%.
Importantly, the study found that any amount of daily steps above 2,200 is associated with lower health risks, regardless of sedentary time. This suggests that even small amounts of physical activity can make a significant difference in overall health. Lead author Dr. Matthew Ahmadi emphasized that while this finding does not excuse excessive sedentary behavior, it does highlight the importance of all movement in reducing health risks. “All movement matters,” he said.
The study’s findings have implications for public health policy and device-based physical activity and sedentary behavior guidelines. Senior author Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis hopes that the evidence will inform the development of guidelines that prioritize daily stepping.
