The “10,000 steps a day” myth

Magic mark? You’ll be suprised at where the “ideal” number of daily steps originated.

Do you really need to take 10,000 steps a day to be fi t?

When your arse is planted on an o ce seat all day long it can be hard to rack up enough movement to please an activity tracker, but the sooner you do, the better.

THE E XPERT

NAME: MANDY COLEMAN SPECIALITY: BODY TRANSFORMATION

■Activity trackers like Fitbit suggest we should set a daily goal of 10,000 steps — but what’s the medical basis for that igure? There isn’t any. The igure stems from 1960s Japan, when a pedometer called manpo-kei (which literally means “10,000 step meter”) was created. It was a goal that sounded challenging yet achievable, and this became the core of its marketing strategy.

Although the 10,000 igure was arbitrary in its conception, research conducted since the 1960s shows that people who increase their walking to hit the target do experience health benei ts. One study showed that it reduces blood pressure, while another found it has positive ef ects on blood glucose levels.

For people who lead sedentary lifestyles, aiming for 10,000 steps is a no-brainer on the path to i tness. But what if you’re no stranger to the gym? Slow and steady cardio has had a bad rap in the past few years, but walking 10,000 steps — roughly 8km — a day has health benei ts for everyone.

Some might argue that you could just skip one latte a day instead — 10,000 steps burns around 400 calories — but then you’d be missing out on the numerous health benei ts you get simply by moving. Apple CEO Tim Cook was exaggerating when he called sitting “the new cancer” but if there’s one thing all modern studies into longevity prove, it’s that regular movement is the key to long life.

A low-impact activity that can be done every day without straining joints or muscles, brisk walking gets your heart working at about 60% of your max rate, enough to provide health benei ts without overtaxing your body. You might think running would be a better choice for losing that belly, but in fact it has the potential to induce catabolism (the breakdown of muscle for energy) and encourage cortisol production, which in turn encourages fat storage.

It’s perfectly possible to be i t without worrying about hitting a target set by a Japanese marketing team 50 years ago, but aiming to take 10,000 steps a day is an easy way to stay as healthy as possible. Get a tracker, make a game of it and reap the rewards. ■

MEASURE YOUR STRIDE

Reach your own step goals with these ace activity trackers.

FITBIT CHARGE HR $229.95, fitbit.com.au Activity and sleep wristband that track steps, distance, calories burnt, floors climbed and active minutes. RUNTASTIC MOMENT ELITE $279.95, runtastic.net.au/ A smart-looking analog watch with the functionality of a modern fitness tracker. STRIIV FUSION BIO $99.99, striiv.com Monitors heartrate and activity, and enables you to screen calls and text, plus control your phone’s music.