A 30-minute run or 10,000 steps: Study reveals which is better for weight loss

Getting at least 10,000 steps a day has long been considered the gold standard for exercise.

However, a study suggests that focusing on the time you spend exercising instead of your number of steps may be just as effective for weight loss, longevity and a reduced risk of heart disease.

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston looked at four-year data from nearly 15,000 women aged over 62. 

Each participant wore a fitness tracker to measure activity levels and were given health questionnaires to complete every year. 

The team found that those who did 8,000 to 8,500 steps per day reduced their risk of heart disease by 40 percent, compared to those who did around 3,000 daily steps.

Women in the study, published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine, were asked to wear fitness trackers on their hips to measure exercise in minutes and steps

What's more, they found the same risk reduction was true of those who exercised for 75 minutes per day — suggesting that measuring steps may be unnecessary.

The study is one of several recent reports to debunk the 10,000-step rule, as some experts claim there is no 'magic' number for exercise. 

Dr Rikuta Hamaya, lead study author and researcher at the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said: 'For some, especially for younger individuals, exercise may involve activities like tennis, soccer, walking, or jogging, all of which can be easily tracked with steps.'

'However, for others, it may consist of bike rides or swimming, where monitoring the duration of exercise is simpler. That's why it's important for physical activity guidelines to offer multiple ways to reach goals.'

'Movement looks different for everyone and nearly all forms of movement are beneficial to our health.'

The team recruited 14,399 women over the age of 62 who were considered 'healthy,' meaning that they did not have heart disease or cancer. The average participant age was 72.

Between 2011 and 2015, each woman was asked to wear a fitness tracker on their hip at all times, including while sleeping or showering. 

Each year, the researchers administered questionnaires on health habits like smoking and drinking, height, weight, menopause, and personal and family medical history. 

These were used to determine the participants' risk of heart disease and death.

The team followed up with the women through the end of 2022.

On average, participants engaged in 62 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week and totaled 5,183 steps per day. By 2022, nine percent of participants died and four percent developed heart disease.

The women were divided into percentiles based on how many minutes exercised or the number of steps taken.

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Forget getting your 10,000 steps a day - researchers say there's a simpler way of keeping your heart healthy

The team found that those who either spent the most time (roughly 200 minutes) exercising or took the most steps (about 8,000 to 8,500) reduced their risk of heart disease and death by up to 40 percent compared to those in the lowest percentile (nine to 12 minutes of exercise or about 2,800 to 3,000 steps).

'The findings suggest patients can choose between a step or timed goal to lower their risk of death or cardiovascular disease,' the researchers wrote. 

'These data support the case for including both time-based and step-based guidelines in future PA [physical activity] recommendations, allowing individuals the flexibility to choose and track their preferred activity metric.'

'Thus, clinicials may guide female patients in their 60s or older to use either time- or step-based goals, depending on their preferences, to monitor their PA levels.'  

There were several limitations to the study, including most of the women being white and 'of a higher socioeconomic status.' Additionally, the research was observational, so the findings cannot be confirmed. 

The study was published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine.