Overview
- Researchers analyzed 33,560 UK adults who typically took 8,000 steps or fewer and followed their health for about eight years, publishing the results in Annals of Internal Medicine.
- Participants who accumulated most daily steps in 10–15 minute stretches had an estimated 4% risk of cardiovascular events versus 13% among those whose steps came mainly in bouts under five minutes.
- The least active group, averaging 5,000 steps or fewer, saw cardiovascular risk drop from about 15% to 7% and mortality fall from roughly 5% to under 1% when steps were taken in longer continuous walks.
- The authors and independent experts caution the findings are observational with short device wear-time and potential confounding, and they call for randomized trials before changing guidelines.
- The study adds to evidence challenging the 10,000-step target, echoing reviews suggesting meaningful benefits around 7,000 daily steps and reports of roughly 4,000 steps on multiple days aiding older women.