Study Shows That Both Steps and Minutes Can Improve Health

A new study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine has found that setting exercise targets based on either step count or minutes are equally effective in reducing the risk of premature death and heart disease. This research, conducted by Dr. Rikuta Hamaya and colleagues from Brigham and Women’s Hospital Division of Preventive Medicine in Boston, highlights the importance of personal preferences when it comes to creating an exercise plan.

The study, which analyzed data from over 14,000 women participating in the national Women’s Health Study, found that the most active women had a 30% to 40% lower risk of death or heart disease, regardless of whether they tracked their activity in minutes or steps. Participants who fell within the top three-quarters of physical activity levels outlived those in the bottom quarter by an average of 2.2 months based on minutes and 2.3 months based on steps.

Dr. Hamaya emphasized that both steps and minutes have their advantages and disadvantages when it comes to tracking exercise goals. While steps are straightforward to measure and capture everyday physical activity, they may vary significantly between individuals of different ages. On the other hand, tracking exercise in minutes may be more suitable for certain types of activities like biking or swimming.

The findings of this study suggest that movement looks different for everyone, and nearly all forms of movement are beneficial to our health. By offering multiple ways to reach exercise goals, physical activity guidelines can be more inclusive and accessible to a wider range of individuals.