Feel Good


Aim For More Than 10,000 Steps Per Day

New study says old estimate may be too conservative

BY March 23, 2017

The age-old rule is that you should be taking about 10,000 steps per day to stay in good health. But a new study is saying perhaps we should be walking a bit more—about 5,000 steps more.

The International Journal of Obesity published findings from researchers who studied mail carriers in Scotland. They found that the workers who took about 15,000 steps per day were in the best health—good body mass indexes and no heightened risk for cardiac disease. To put it in perspective, that meant they walked about seven miles a day.

The study goes a step beyond (pun intended) the conventional wisdom that’s been held for decades about the appropriate distance to walk each day. Many activity trainers, like FitBit, even base their calculations around the 10,000-step-per-day concept. 

So, should we start being more ambitious with our steps? It can’t hurt, but keep in mind this is just one study in what will probably be many more investigating the matter.

 

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