Ten thousand steps a day may no longer be the sweet spot for good health.
The aim could be to lull unfit Britons into a “false sense of security”, experts said today.
Studies have long suggested that reaching the magic five-figure number can reduce the risk of a variety of serious health problems, including dementia, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
But exceeding 8,000 may not even provide “many additional benefits,” the scientists also warned.
Instead, walking faster in shorter bursts could be just as effective in staying healthy.
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The 10,000 steps goal originated from a clever marketing strategy by a Japanese company trying to sell pedometers in the wake of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. At the time, there was an increased focus on fitness in the host country. and companies had tried to capitalize on the craze surrounding the Games (pictured, an advertisement for the original device).
Lindsay Bottoms, a health and exercise physiology researcher at the University of Hertfordshire, told MailOnline that obsessing over the 10,000 target would “certainly” lull people into a false sense of security about how to stay healthy.
He added: “Step counting is difficult and does not include people who cannot walk.”
‘Research shows that fewer than 10,000 steps have health benefits and 10,000 steps is an arbitrary number.
«Taking just 4,400 steps has been shown to improve life expectancy.
“We need to encourage people to be active, so if someone regularly only takes 2,000 steps a day, it is possible to reach a goal of 4,000.
“It would actually motivate them more than having a goal of 10,000, which is just not going to happen.”
Meanwhile, Professor Tom Yates, one of the world’s leading experts in the field of physical activity and sedentary behavior at the University of Leicester, told MailOnline: “Moderate amounts of physical activity can be tremendously powerful in terms of reducing the risk of premature mortality.
‘But going beyond these levels may not provide many additional benefits, at least in terms of mortality outcomes.
“The evidence seems to be solidifying around 8,000 steps per day as the threshold.”
Instead, focusing on and meeting a goal, such as 8,000, “will help inactive people greatly improve their overall health,” he added.
“The goal can be further optimized by making sure it includes moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking,” he said.
‘This will be useful to many people. However, if goals aren’t your thing, it will also be beneficial to make sure you regularly engage in at least some moderate or vigorous activity.
The 10,000 step goal was initially designed by a Japanese marketing campaign for a pedometer in the wake of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
At the time, there was an increased focus on fitness in the host country and companies had sought to capitalize on the craze surrounding the Games.
One campaign involved marketing Yamasa’s pedometer called Manpo-kei, which literally means “10,000 steps per meter” in Japanese.
But the arbitrary figure was never based on science. Instead, the number was selected because the reference point was memorable.
It comes as new research yesterday suggested that focusing on the time you spend exercising rather than the number of steps may be just as effective for weight loss, longevity and reducing the risk of heart disease.
Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston analyzed four years of data from nearly 15,000 women ages 62 and older.
Each participant wore a fitness tracker to measure activity levels and were given health questionnaires to complete each year.
The team found that those who took between 8,000 and 8,500 steps a day reduced their risk of heart disease by 40 percent, compared to those who took about 3,000 steps a day.
What’s more, they calculated that the same risk reduction applied to those who exercised for 75 minutes a day, suggesting that measuring steps may be unnecessary.
Dr. Rikuta Hamaya, lead author of the study and researcher in the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said: “For some people, especially younger people, exercise may involve activities such as tennis, soccer, walking or jogging, all of which can be easily followed with steps.’
“However, for others, it may involve cycling or swimming, where it is easier to control the duration of the exercise.
“That’s why it’s important that physical activity guidelines offer multiple ways to reach your goals.”
It adds to a growing body of research that suggests the 10,000 figure may not be for everyone.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. There is no guideline linked to step counts that can be easily measured.
Other studies have suggested that almost half of those who track their movement suffer from anxiety about reaching their daily goal.
Dr Hana Patel, a London-based NHS GP, also pointed out today that the three-figure target may be unattainable for some, including people short on time.
She told MailOnline: ‘NHS England and the Royal College of GPs are encouraging adults to focus on walking quickly rather than simply counting steps to improve their health.
‘As GPs, we encourage adults to do more moderate-intensity physical activity each day and to increase the intensity of their walking, rather than focusing solely on distance or number of steps.
“Just 10 minutes of brisk walking a day is an easy way for adults to introduce more moderate-intensity physical activity into their day and reduce their risk of premature death by up to 15 percent.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise.
There is no guideline linked to step counts that can be easily measured.
Sedentary lifestyles in the UK, in which Britons spend their working hours sitting at a desk and then sitting on a train or car on the way home to sit in front of the TV, are estimated to kill thousands of people each year.
A 2019 estimate puts the annual death toll at 70,000 people a year and the health problems caused cost the NHS £700 million each year to treat.
A 2018 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study estimated that nearly one in 10 (8.3 percent) of adult deaths in the country were caused by physical inactivity.
The WHO puts the annual global death toll from physical inactivity at around 2 million per year, placing it among the top 10 causes of death and disability globally.
Physical inactivity has long been linked to health problems such as cardiovascular disease, as well as contributing to health problems such as obesity, which in turn is linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer.
Cardiovascular diseases are generally associated with the buildup of fatty deposits within the arteries that can cause dangerous blockages that can trigger a heart attack or stroke.
Stokes are considered a leading cause of death and disability in the UK, killing around 38,000 people a year and leaving many more disabled.
According to the CDC, an estimated 160,000 people die from strokes in the U.S. each year, and one American suffers a stroke every 40 seconds.
