Brisk walking beats the 10,000-step myth in lowering mortality risk
A large observational study of over 64,000 adults shows that walking pace during the day’s most active 30 minutes is linked to lower mortality, sometimes more strongly than reaching 10,000 steps. About 90–100 steps per minute (peak 30-minute cadence) was associated with lower death risk across step-count groups; even those with fewer than 5,000 steps benefited if walking faster. The findings challenge a universal 10,000-step goal and suggest tailoring activity to individual ability, while noting limitations like a short tracking period and potential wrist-count errors.
