A major study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine reveals that walking at a faster pace can help adults who take fewer than 5,000 steps a day achieve longevity and cardiovascular benefits comparable to those who walk significantly farther at a slower speed.
Data Tracks 64,743 Adults Across Eight Years
Information evaluated by the research came from 64,743 UK adults whose mean age was 62. Researchers led by Emmanuel Stamatakis, Professor of Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Population Health at Monash University spanning tracking periods between 2013 and 2015. Participants wore wrist activity trackers for seven consecutive days to monitor both their daily step counts and walking intensity.
Researchers then followed the group for an average of approximately eight years. During that follow-up period, 1,697 participants died from various causes, including 502 deaths attributed to cardiovascular disease. To calculate walking pace, investigators averaged steps per minute across each person’s thirty highest-activity minutes of the day, which did not need to be consecutive.
The work titled Combinations of Stepping Intensity and Daily Step Counts Against All-Cause and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: Insights From a Device-Based Prospective Study
was published online on September 8, 2026, in the British Journal of Sports Medicine under the DOI 10.1136/bjsports-2025-111173. The authorship team includes L. Wei, M. N. Ahmadi, N. A. Koemel, R. K. Biswas, B. del Pozo Cruz, and Emmanuel Stamatakis.
Pace Lowers Mortality Risk for Low Step Counts
Ten thousand steps has become shorthand for a healthy day and serves as the default goal on most fitness trackers and phones, but for a lot of people it is simply out of reach. Typical US residents record a daily average just beneath 5,000 steps, meaning that achieving twice that volume presents a considerable challenge for individuals tied to office chairs, struggling with knee pain, or facing lengthy commutes. The number itself never came from a medical study.
However, the new findings demonstrate that intensity can compensate for lower volume. Among participants taking fewer than 5,000 steps a day, those whose fastest half hour reached about 80 steps per minute experienced a 28 percent lower risk of dying during the follow-up period compared to individuals with low step counts and slow paces.
“In our study, adults accumulating fewer than 5,000 steps a day at a higher stepping intensity had a risk of early death in the same region as people taking 5,000 to 7,500 steps at a more leisurely pace, with a similar pattern for cardiovascular disease mortality.”
Emmanuel Stamatakis, Professor of Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Population Health at Monash University
While the group taking 7,500 to 10,000 steps daily still achieved the lowest overall death rates, flexible combinations offer a viable alternative for busy individuals.
Experts Recommend Step Targets for Moderate Intensity Walking
An 80-steps-per-minute pace does not require power-walking. For adults aiming for moderate intensity, Stamatakis recommends a target of 100 to 130 steps per minute.
The study authors suggest that maintaining a peak cadence of roughly 90 to 100 steps per minute for 30 minutes daily serves as a promising longevity target. Dr Elroy Aguiar has noted that if someone wants to bump a walk up to a vigorous intensity, they could walk at around 130 steps per minute or walk up a steep incline. Surefire signs of a moderate-intensity upgrade include a raised heart rate, faster breathing, and a prickling of sweat on the forehead.
In addition, the 30-minute walking protocol originating in Japan traces its roots back to research shared through the Mayo Clinic Proceedings in 2007, an investigation formulated to test if heightened walking cadences could enhance physical fitness and blood pressure metrics among aging populations. That previous investigation successfully demonstrated safeguards against age-related rises in blood pressure alongside reductions in thigh muscle strength and peak aerobic capacity.
Researchers emphasized that the findings are observational and do not definitively prove that walking faster directly caused people to live longer. Readers should conclude that pace serves as an alternative for people who cannot reach higher step counts, not a replacement for moving more. Anyone considering changes to their physical activity routines should consult qualified healthcare professionals or fitness experts for personalized guidance.
