Mortality Benefits Are Associated with Even Low Daily Step Counts

Smart watches and other devices have made many people aware of their daily step counts. The average daily step count worldwide is about 5300; in the U.S., it is about 4700. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommend 10,000 steps daily and call less than 5000 steps daily “sedentary.”

An international team conducted a meta-analysis of 17 cohort studies (with ≈227,000 participants) with a median follow-up of ≈7 years. At just 2300 steps daily, cardiovascular-related mortality began to drop; at just 4000 steps daily, all-cause mortality began to drop. Although benefits started to plateau at ≈10,000 steps daily, they nevertheless continued to increase with additional steps — up to 20,000 steps daily. When people who averaged 5500 steps, 7400 …