On 10,000 Steps, Longevity and Life in Motion
Last week, a major new study involving over 160,000 adults said:
“Although 10 000 steps per day can still be a viable target for those who are more active, 7000 steps per day is associated with clinically meaningful improvements in health outcomesand might be a more realistic and achievable target for some."
Dr. Melody Ding, the study's lead author and professor of public health at the University of Sydney, said:
“I am clearly not recommending folks who are doing 10,000 steps a day to go back to 7,000, ... however, beyond around 7,000 steps, the additional health gain for each additional 1,000 steps start to become smaller, so there is less ‘return on investment’.”
The following chart, based on the study, highlights that more daily steps can lower the risk of death.
Source: Ding et al, the Lancet and the Financial Times
Note: The prevalent figure of 10,000 steps can be traced back to a 1960s marketing campaign associated with the 1964 Tokyo Olympics promoting a pedometer called the manpo-kei ('10,000-step meter').
Separately, Peter Attia, M.D., in his 2023 book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, said
“I now consider exercise to be the most potent longevity 'drug' in our arsenal, in terms of lifespan and healthspan.
"The data are unambiguous: exercise not only delays actual death but also prevents both cognitive and physical decline, better than any other intervention."
Finally, dancer/choreographer Twyla Tharp in her 2019 book "Keep It Moving: Lessons for the Rest of Your Life" said,
"With the time you've got, choose to make your life bigger. Opt for expression over observation, action instead of passivity, risk over safety, the unknown over the familiar.
"Be deliberate, act with intention. Chase the sublime and the absurd.
"Make each day one where you emerge, unlock, excite, and discover. Find new, reconsider old, become limber, stretch, lean, move."
OUR TAKE
As the study shows, 7,000 steps per day delivers substantial health benefits. For more active individuals, gains can continue up to and beyond 12,000 steps.
Walking is excellent and easy to track, but swimming, cycling, resistance training, dancing, tennis, and other activities can offer equal and even greater benefits for cardiovascular health, brain function, and longevity.
Whether it’s a walk, a workout, or spontaneous dance, movement is life's fuel. It builds mental resilience, sparks creativity, and reconnects us with purpose. As Twyla Tharp said, “opt for expression over observation.”