00:00New study finding 4,000 steps per day reduces risk of death is a reminder that 10,000 steps per day is totally arbitrary and a Japanese marketing ploy.
00:12We've all heard it, 10,000 steps a day keeps you healthy.
00:16But what if that number was never based on science at all?
00:20A new study suggests you might only need 4,000 steps a day to make a meaningful difference.
00:25It's a timely reminder that some of our most trusted fitness benchmarks may have started not in labs, but in marketing rooms.
00:33Roughly 1 in 5 Americans use fitness trackers like the Apple Watch, Whoop Band, or Garmin.
00:39Many of us track our steps religiously, assuming 10,000 is the gold standard.
00:44But a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine followed over 13,000 older women for more than a decade
00:52and found that walking just 4,000 steps a day reduced the risk of death by 40%.
00:58Walking 4,000 steps three or more days per week also cuts the risk of cardiovascular-related deaths by 32%.
01:07Benefits seem to level off between 5,000 and 7,000 steps, proving that more isn't always better.
01:14The 10,000 steps rule actually came from a Japanese company in the 1960s selling a pedometer called Manpo-K, which means 10,000 steps meter.
01:25The character for 10,000 resembles a walking person, and clever branding turned it into global dogma.
01:33Even when we know this, many of us still pace around at night to hit that arbitrary number.
01:37The real takeaway from the study is simple.
01:40You don't need 10,000 steps a day to improve your health.
01:43Walking around 4,000 steps already provides major cardiovascular and longevity benefits.
01:51The goal isn't to obsess over a number but to stay consistent, walk regularly, move your body, eat well, and avoid extremes.
01:59As with most fitness advice, balance matters more than perfection.
02:04So instead of chasing marketing myths, focus on habits that make you feel stronger and healthier each day.
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