Most employers and their HR teams will recognise the business need to keep their workforce fit, healthy and (importantly) at work. For only if the employee is able to undertake work will productivity and outcomes be delivered. One low-cost way of delivering this outcome is providing some generic step count advice to the workforce.
But what daily number of steps is suitable for your workers?
10,000 steps?
Most people would recognise the wellbeing target of 10,000 daily steps. Yet this target has no basis in scientific study. Indeed, this suggestion actually dates back to a rather enduring marketing campaign to sell an early pedometer in the run up to the 1964 Olympics in Japan.
That opportunistic marketing opportunity has since become wellbeing lore. And this despite 10,000 daily steps being practically unachievable for many people.
Let’s take a look at the maths. Most people can easily walk around 100 steps a minute. It follows that it would take around 100 minutes each day to deliver 10,000 steps. Over a week the 10,000-step target represents more than 11.5 hours of physical activity. This is therefore a challenging target to achieve.
It should also be noted that NHS activity advice suggests a lower figure. The NHS recommend a weekly minimum of just 150 minutes of moderate activity (i.e. walking) or 75 minutes of more intense activity (i.e. sport). Their website also stresses;
“Make sure your activity and intensity are appropriate for your fitness.”
The NHS also encourages people to see their GP first if they have not exercised for some time.
Yet it is certainly true that regular exercise does reduce the risks of heart disease or stroke and is often beneficial for mental health also. So, what activity level should employers promote to their workers?
Step count advice
Last week the national media suggested 7,000 steps as the daily target. This was based on research by respected medical journal The Lancet.
The BBC reported that an increase from 2,000 to 7,000 daily steps would reduce the risk of;
- cardiovascular disease (by 25%).
- cancer (by 6%).
- dementia (by 38%).
- depression (by 22%).
It also suggested that;
“the benefits tended to level off beyond 7,000 steps although there were additional advantages to walking further for the heart.”
Yet other research suggests even lower step count advice.
More steps the objective
In 2023 the European Society of Cardiology published a major report based on an analysis of 17 worldwide studies. This suggested that just a few more daily steps can make a real difference. The research found:
- 500 extra daily steps are associated with a 7 per cent reduction in dying from cardiovascular disease.
- An increase of 1,000 daily steps is associated with a 15 per cent reduction in dying from any cause.
The study also suggested that as few as 4,000 steps a day are needed to significantly reduce deaths from any cause.
Conflicting advice
Whilst there is much conflict in the above numbers, the one constant is that more activity is likely to produce a healthier workforce than taking no action at all. This is particularly the case for those in sedentary jobs who may represent higher workforce health risks.
The onus for employers is therefore to promote more daily activity to workers wherever and whenever possible. The simple fact is more activity is good for everyone, and anything that encourages such actions to keep a worker fit, healthy, and productive is a win for both the employee and their employer too.
About Occupational Health Assessment Ltd
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