Small steps, big gains: Doctors say you don’t need to hit 10,000 to stay healthy

With all the cold weather we’ve been having lately in the D.C. area, those of you who walk or run might have trouble hitting your steps goals in the new year. You could also be among the crowd struggling to keep up those New Year’s steps resolutions for a healthier life.

For years, the magic number of steps that the majority of medical professionals said you should aim to achieve in a day is 10,000.

But what if you actually don’t need that magic number to stay healthy?

A new study, published in the European Journal of Cardiology, shows that walking as little as 4,000 steps a day can significantly reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality — death — from all causes.

“It’s really interesting,” said Dr. Julie Chen, with the D.C. area’s Kaiser Permanente, “that each additional thousand steps that one can walk per day actually reduces the risk by 15% of death.”

The health benefits of higher step counts graphic
A chart of the health benefits of higher step counts. (Courtesy European Journal of Cardiology)

Chen told WTOP that, initially, doctors were only studying for cardiovascular health benefits of 4,000 steps — but they got much more than they bargained for — in the best way.

“Essentially it’s believed that these steps, or the exercise, that one gets into one’s day, has such profound health benefits that it can also impact other causes of morbidity and mortality,” she explained. “So, for example, cancer, stroke, other things that people suffer from such as diabetes.”

That across-the-board reduction in mortality from a variety of causes is something she said “is an incredible finding that will hopefully impact the practice of walking more for all individuals who are listening.”

The best part: Chen told WTOP it doesn’t matter how you do it — only that you get those 4,000 steps in.

“Every little bit counts,” Chen said, whether you’re doing it as dedicated period of exercise, let’s say 30 to 45 minutes as a dedicated period of exercise in your day, or whether you’re putting it into your day in little increments.”

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Matt Kaufax

If there's an off-the-beaten-path type of attraction, person, or phenomenon in the DC area that you think more people should know about, Matt is your guy. As the features reporter for WTOP, he's always on the hunt for stories that provide a unique local flavor—a slice of life if you will.

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