Forget the 10,000 steps a day target, a new study suggests three brisk 10-minute walks are more effective for health. The 10,000-step goal originated from a 1960s Japanese marketing campaign for a pedometer called Manpo-Kei, which literally means '10,000 steps meter'. Dr Yoshiro Hatano created it to encourage Japanese people to burn extra calories and stay slim.
In a BBC experiment, Dr Michael Mosley and Prof Rob Copeland from Sheffield Hallam University compared 10,000 steps with 'Active 10'—three brisk 10-minute walks totalling about 3,000 steps. Volunteers were split into two groups: one aimed for 10,000 steps daily, the other for three brisk walks.
Results showed the Active 10 group found it easier to achieve and performed 30% more moderate to vigorous physical activity, despite moving for less time. Prof Copeland explained that brisk walking raises heart rate, reducing risks of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers.
Mosley concluded that three short brisk walks are easier to fit into a day and offer greater health benefits than the harder-to-achieve 10,000-step target.
