NOW THERE’S PROOF STEPS HELP

Last month, I wrote an article about the proposal to make daily step-counting the 5th vital sign. The number of steps one takes and the duration of walking are felt to be accurate gauges of one’s cardiovascular wellness. Death rates from all causes, and from cardiovascular events are fewer when a person walks 15 minutes or more each day. Data required for this conclusion was compiled over a period of 9.5 years and is reported to physicians in the October 27th issue of The Annals of Internal Medicine.

In this report, adults who take 8000 steps or fewer per day were considered sedentary. The study participants were divided into 4 groups:

1. Patients who walked less than 5 minutes

2. Patients who walked 5 minutes to less than 10 minutes

3. Patients who walked 10 minutes to less than 15 minutes  

4. Patients who walked 15 minutes or longer.

For All-cause mortality: After 9.5 years, patients who walked 15 minutes or longer had a less than 0.80% death rate from all causes. Those who walked 5 minutes or less had a 4.36%, or 5 times greater, chance of death from any cause.

For Cardiovascular disease: After 9.5 years, patients who walked 15 minutes or longer, had a 4.39% chance of CVD, while those who walked 5 minutes or less had a 13.03% chance.

For sedentary patients: After 9.5 years, patients who walked 15 minutes or more had a 0.86% chance of death. Those who walked 5 minutes or less had a 5.13% chance of death.

Clearly, it is seen that over time, those patients who walked more steps, and for a 

longer duration, had a far lower chance of CVD or death from that or any cause!

Walking and step counting can then be said to be a reliable indicator of one’s fitness, cardiovascular- and other-wise. Sedentary people “stand to gain the most from lengthening walking bouts.” Wellness programs are encouraged to incorporate both the raw numbers as well as time duration in their goals to be met. It also gives further credence to the value of walking and its quantitation as a vital sign of physical well-being.

Dr.G’s Opinion: This is good advice for everyone. Getting one’s self moving does good things for the cardiorespiratoy system as well as the musculoskeletal system. Plus there is data, now, that shows it improves longevity. So, Keep those feet Amovin!”

Reference: Remaly J, To Boost Longevity, Walk this Way. Medscape 2025 October 27.