Walking at a brisk pace can significantly reduce the risk of early death for adults who take fewer than 5,000 steps daily, according to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Researchers found that stepping intensity offers an alternative route to longevity for individuals facing barriers to high daily step targets.
UK Biobank Data Reveals How Pace Lowers Mortality Risk
The research analyzed data from the UK Biobank, focusing on middle-aged participants between the ages of 40 and 69 who were enrolled between 2006 and 2010. Investigators examined activity tracker records gathered from 103,684 participants who wore wrist devices for seven consecutive days between 2013 and 2015. After excluding missing records and individuals with a history of cardiovascular disease or cancer, the team analyzed 64,743 participants for all-cause mortality and 70,075 participants for cardiovascular mortality.
Researchers tracked participants through November 2022, capturing an average follow-up period of roughly eight years. During that timeframe, 1,697 participants died from any cause, while 502 died from cardiovascular disease. Rather than relying solely on total daily volume, the study evaluated each participant’s peak-30 cadence, representing the average steps per minute recorded across the thirty highest stepping minutes of the day, which did not need to occur consecutively.
The findings indicate that individuals who logged fewer than 5,000 steps daily—a level typically categorized as sedentary—enjoyed a substantially lower risk of premature death if they maintained a faster stepping intensity. Specifically, participants taking under 5,000 steps a day with a peak 30-minute cadence of 80 steps per minute experienced a mortality risk comparable to those who accumulated between 5,000 and 7,500 steps daily at a slower pace of 60 steps per minute.
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“We found that the risk was substantially lower among those achieving a higher stepping pace but fewer than 5000 daily steps. Similarly, the risk of early death was substantially reduced among those clocking up 5000 to 7500 daily steps but at a lower stepping pace.”
Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, Director of the Monash Brain Park
Across the entire sample, the lowest risk of dying early appeared among individuals who accumulated between 7,500 and 10,000 steps a day, roughly aligning with current public health recommendations. Yet the data also highlighted that stepping up the intensity offers a viable substitute for sheer volume.
Monash University and University of Sydney Findings
Led by Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis at the University of Sydney Charles Perkins Centre, who now directs the Monash Brain Park at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health in the Monash School of Psychological Sciences, the study addresses practical barriers to exercise.
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“For a 65-year-old managing a knee issue, a carer with fragmented time, or a shift worker, a high step target can be a reason to give up rather than a reason to start.”
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Dr Nicholas Koemel, Senior Research Fellow at the Monash School of Psychological Sciences
“The most practical test is also the simplest, which is to pay attention to your breathing: at a brisk pace that is maintained for at least a minute or so you should be breathing noticeably harder, feeling warmer, and still able to hold a conversation in short sentences, but you should not be able to sing comfortably.”
Associate Professor Matthew Ahmadi, study co-author
The authors noted limitations in their observational design, including the requirement that participants log only three days of activity to qualify. Researchers stressed that the findings demonstrate strong associations rather than direct causation, but noted the results will help inform future public health guidelines and clinical interventions for middle-aged and older adults.
