In Australia, most adults walk around 7400 steps per day on average. To reach the goal of 10,000 steps a day, all you need is an extra 3000 to 4000 steps by taking dedicated walks.
Engaging in regular physical activity offers numerous walking benefits. It can help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, depression, and certain types of cancer, such as breast and colon cancer.
But have you ever wondered how many steps the average person actually takes in a day? And is it sufficient?
Marketing to Medical Advice
The 10,000-steps a day goal was actually created as part of a marketing campaign, not as a specific health recommendation. A Japanese company called Yamasa Corporation launched a campaign for their new step-tracking device after the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The device used to translate the 10,000 step meter in English, and thus the trend began. A recent study involving 2,100 adults over the age of 40 discovered that while aiming for 10,000 steps a day is beneficial for health, adults can still reap significant health advantages by walking just 7,000 steps daily. Researchers in this study used wearable sensors to collect data (similar to those found in smartwatches and phones) and monitored participants for around ten years. They examined average step counts and assessed the risk of death, taking into account other factors like overall health, smoking, and diet. Compared to individuals who walked less than 7,000 steps daily, those who managed between 7,000 and 9,999 steps had a 60% to 70% lower risk of early death from any cause. This effect was consistent across both men and women. However, there wasn’t a significant decrease in the risk of early death for those who exceeded 10,000 steps. Interestingly, the ideal step count may be even lower for older women. A study from 2019 involving 16,741 women with an average age of 72 revealed that those who walked around 4,400 steps daily had notably lower mortality rates when followed up more than four years later, compared to the least active women in the study.
Walking benefits
Walking is a fantastic form of exercise that is accessible to most individuals. You don’t need any fancy equipment, just a good pair of supportive walking shoes. Plus, you don’t have to spend money on gym membership. Moreover, incorporating walking into your routine can help you reduce the risk of common health problems like
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Depression
- High Blood Pressure
Even if your walking pace doesn’t qualify as moderate-intensity exercise, every step still counts in preventing the negative effects of prolonged sitting. Adding any form of regular activity to your daily routine is beneficial.
How to include more steps in a day
Once you’ve evaluated your goals, you can start fitting these ideas into your walking routine.
1. Take the dog for a walk: If you don’t have a dog, offer to walk dogs at an animal shelter. You can also join a friend and walk their dog together.
2. Listen to music: Play a lively tune or a song with a strong beat to make your activity more enjoyable and keep you motivated to walk longer or faster.
3. Involve the family: Instead of watching a movie in the afternoon, go for a walk or hike together.
4. Opt for face-to-face interaction: Instead of sending an email to a colleague, walk over to their desk and have a conversation in person.
5. Walk while waiting: If you’re early for an appointment or waiting for a flight, take a walk instead of sitting idle.
6. Schedule walking breaks during your workday: Set reminders in your calendar for short walks to boost your energy throughout the day. If you have a one-on-one meeting, plan to walk and talk.
7. Park farther away: Choose parking spots that are far away from the entrance. If you take the bus, get off a stop earlier and walk the remaining distance.
8. Take the stairs: Even going down the stairs counts as steps and helps burn calories.
Set a goal for yourself. It all comes down to where you begin, but we can all gain something by taking more steps and walking a little more each day. Remember, small changes can make a big difference in increasing your daily steps.
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