- Walking 8,000 steps one to two times a week may be enough to prolong your life, according to one study.
- Researchers found that increasing your activity levels just a few times a week was nearly as beneficial as moving more every day.
- Doctors explain how even a small amount of activity offers big benefits for your health.
Trying to fit some physical activity into your schedule every day can be overwhelming, as can aiming for the lofty goal of 10,000 steps per day. But researchers are urging you not to stress if you don’t reach one or both of these goals. In fact, according to one study, just 8,000 steps of walking is all you need for health and potentially prolonging your life—and you only need to do that once or twice a week.
Meet the experts: Sean Heffron, M.D., a preventative cardiologist at NYU Langone Health; Holly S. Andersen, M.D., an attending cardiologist and associate professor of clinical medicine at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center.
The study, which was published in JAMA, evaluated data from 3,101 adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2005–2006 and wore an accelerometer for one week, which tracked their step counts, which were also measured against their mortality data through the end of 2019.
The researchers found that people who walked 8,000 or more steps a day once or twice a week had cardiovascular perks and lower mortality rates that were nearly as good as people who clocked that same distance every day of the week. Specifically, they discovered that people who walked at least 8,000 steps over one or two days had a 15% lower risk of dying in the next 10 years, while people who hit 8,000 or more steps three to seven days a week had a 16.5% lower risk compared to people who took very few steps a day. The risk of dying from heart disease was about the same—8.1% in the one-to-two-day group, and 8.4% for people who got more steps on a regular basis.
The study’s conclusion had pretty positive news for people working out only on the weekends: “The study’s findings suggest that, for adults who face difficulties in exercising regularly, achieving the recommended daily steps only a couple days a week may have meaningful health benefits.”
The perks of exercising just a few days a week
It’s important to point out that the study has some limitations—it only looked at physical activity data from one week and didn’t factor in other forms of exercise that would conceivably help someone’s health but not require steps, like cycling or rowing. The type of exercise people did and how hard they went also weren’t considered—the trackers only measured steps.
Still, experts say there may be something to this. “It’s pretty much in line with what I talk to many of my patients about,” said Sean Heffron, M.D., a preventative cardiologist at NYU Langone Health. “Because, in reality, the majority of Americans aren’t getting 8,000 steps on any day of the week.” He added that “you don’t need to be a marathoner or even 5K runner to derive cardiovascular benefit from being physically active.”
There are many benefits of walking, and being physically active in general, for the heart and overall health. Among other things, it stimulates the cells in the body, heart, and muscles to make enzymes and compounds that support different processes in the body, it improves insulin susceptibility, promotes good blood pressure, and helps you maintain a healthy weight, Dr. Heffron said.
“Physical activity is good for your bones, brain, immune system, stress levels, and for your sleep,” concurred Holly S. Andersen, M.D., an attending cardiologist and associate professor of clinical medicine at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center. “Those who are physically active also tend to eat better.”
Overall, it’s important to move—even if it’s just a few times a week, Dr. Andersen said. “We know that prolonged sitting is terrible for us,” she said. “Going from doing nothing to doing something gives the most benefit. With more and more exercise, the benefits start to plateau. Walking a good amount every day is healthy but, if you are only doing it two to three times a week, keep it up.”
The results of this study provide a potentially more accessible starting point than the recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which say to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, along with two days of muscle-strengthening activity.
The AHA also recommends that people spend less time sitting, noting that even light-intensity activity can offset some of the effects of being sedentary. Still, most people fall short of even meeting the most basic goals, Dr. Heffron said. Just 47% of Americans meet the aerobic guidelines and 24% meet both the aerobic and strength training recommendations, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
How to get more steps
There is no official guidance on step counts, but it’s become a buzzier way to think about physical activity. In general, 2,000 steps equals a mile, so 8,000 steps translate to about four miles. According to UT Southwestern Medical Center, the average American walks 3,000 to 4,000 steps a day (1.5 to 2 miles).
While Dr. Heffron said it’s ideal to have a regular exercise routine, he also said people shouldn’t get discouraged if they tend to be active in smaller moments. “Small amounts, spread out over a couple of days a week can be beneficial,” he noted. Worth mentioning: One meta-analysis of 17 studies that looked at data from 226,899 adults found that adding 500 to 1,000 steps a day to your routine can also have big benefits for your overall health. And other more recent studies have found that walking regularly can add years to your life.
Dr. Andersen simply encouraged people to move more. “Physical activity is the fountain of youth. Prolonged sitting is detrimental to your health,” she said. “Do not sit in front of your computer all day—get up and move at least once an hour.”
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