Most people know about setting a daily goal of taking at least 10,000 steps a day. We have always been told it will lead to a healthier life. But where did this magical number of 10,000 steps come from?
A recent news article from the BBC sheds light on the history. In the 60's a company came up with a devise which they started marketing to the health conscious, which turned out to be an early pedometer and was made in the lead up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics to try and get the Japanese public excited about health and fitness. The campaign was based on work by Dr Yoshiro Hatano at the Kyushu University of Health and Welfare, who was worried the Japanese were starting to become lazy and wanted to help them get more active.
His thoughts were that if he could get people to change from 4000 to 10000 in a day it would burn 500 extra calories a day. Although a great theory with some merit was not based on any scientific quantification or research and no comparison to other forms of exercise.
This is how the 10,000 steps a day idea was born.
In contrast recent research by British doctor and journalist Michael Mosley and Sheffield University Professor, Robert Copeland found that shorter bouts of more intense exercise, only walking briskly walking for 10 minutes, 3 times a day, suggested this provided a more benefit in lowering the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.
The original article can be found on the BBC website at the following link:
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-42864061
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