10,000 steps a day have long been considered a benchmark for healthy activity. But if you can’t manage that much, the good news is that it’s not only the number of steps that matters, but also the pace. Among people who took fewer than 5,000 steps a day, faster walking was associated with a lower risk of premature death.
Researchers analyzed data from tens of thousands of UK Biobank participants. They found that among those who walked faster than 80 steps per minute, the risk was lower than for people with the same small number of steps but a more leisurely pace. At the same time, the lowest risk was observed in those who walked 7,500–10,000 steps a day. So it is still worth aiming for a higher step count, but even with lower activity, you can gain additional benefits by moving more briskly.
Take note: if you can’t increase the distance, try picking up the pace a little. And above all, keep moving regularly.
