Every Step Counts - Walking Your Way to a Healthier Life

Does step count really matter - a recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BMJ) shone new light on both step counts and daily sedentary time in relation to mortality and risk of cardiovascular disease.

The study investigated the relationship between daily steps, sedentary time, and health outcomes, particularly mortality and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD), among a large cohort of UK adults. Previous research has highlighted the health benefits of daily steps and risks associated with sedentary behavior. However, few studies have explored how sedentary time influences the health effects of daily steps. The research aimed to fill this gap and determine optimal and minimal daily step counts associated with lower mortality and CVD risk across different levels of sedentary time.

Using data from the UK Biobank Study, which included over 70,000 participants, researchers analyzed daily steps and sedentary time measured by wrist-worn accelerometers. They tracked participants for mortality and CVD events over several years. The study found that accumulating between 9000 and 10,500 steps per day was associated with optimal reductions in mortality and CVD risk, regardless of sedentary time levels. Additionally, a minimum threshold of 4000 to 4500 steps per day was linked to substantially lower mortality and CVD risk.

Key findings included:

• Sedentary time did not significantly modify the relationship between daily steps and health outcomes.

• Any amount of daily steps above the referent 2200 steps/day was associated with lower mortality and incident CVD risk, for low and high sedentary time.

• Accumulating between 9000 and 10,500 steps per day was associated with the lowest mortality and CVD risk.

• There was a graded association between daily steps and health outcomes, with higher steps associated with lower risk.

• The study emphasized the importance of both reducing sedentary time and increasing daily steps to improve cardiovascular health.

• These findings could inform future guidelines and interventions aimed at promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior.

The study's strengths included its large sample size, long follow-up period, and objective measurement of physical activity using accelerometers. However, limitations included potential residual confounding and the observational nature of the study design.

The Bottom Line:

All your steps count when looking at lowering your risk of CVD and improving your health outcomes. Optimally gaining over 4000 steps per day would be a great way to kickstart your exercise journey, with 9000 steps providing the best results! If you need help with improving your step count or changing the way you move, book in to see us today! 

Reference:

Ahmadi, M. N., Rezende, L. F. M., Ferrari, G., et al. (2024). Do the associations of daily steps with mortality and incident cardiovascular disease differ by sedentary time levels? A device-based cohort study. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 58, 261-268.