Step count just as beneficial for health as minutes exercised, researchers say

BOSTON – Massachusetts researchers say it’s equally beneficial to measure exercise by how long you exercise and how many steps you take.

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital looked at data on more than 14,000 healthy women 62 and older over about nine years.  

They found higher levels of physical activity, whether measured in minutes or steps, were associated with large reductions in mortality and cardiovascular risk.  

The U.S. government recommends 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week for adults but doesn’t include step counts.  

The researchers say physical activity guidelines should be updated to offer multiple ways to reach activity goals based on personal preference, especially since fitness trackers and smartwatches often provide step-count data.

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.