Social media often insists we need 10,000 steps a day for good health. The truth? That number didn’t come from science — it came from a 1960s marketing campaign for a pedometer.
What is backed by science is this:
- More steps per day are strongly linked with a lower risk of heart disease and death from all causes.
- A lower resting heart rate is a marker of good health, associated with lower rates of high blood pressure, heart attacks and heart failure.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association combined these two insights into a simple ratio:
Average daily heart rate ÷ Average daily steps
Here’s what they found:
- A low ratio (<0.0081) was strongly associated with a lower risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, diabetes and hypertension.
- A high ratio (>0.0147) was linked with a much higher risk — up to 56% greater for those same conditions.
The good news? You can improve your ratio both by taking more steps, which in turn can lower your resting heart rate through regular conditioning. Each change helps the other.
The Bottom Line
If we assume a healthy resting heart rate of 70 beats per minute, dividing that by the “healthy” ratio threshold (0.0081) gives about 8,642 steps per day. That’s a realistic minimum goal — more steps are even better.
Tracking Your Steps and Heart Rate
- The study used a Fitbit, but an Apple Watch can also provide this data (though it’s pricey).
- Affordable fitness trackers, like the GloryFit watch I bought for $23 on Amazon, can also do the job.
Joining the “wearable generation” doesn’t have to break the bank — and it can give you the tools to track progress toward better health.
Dr. Charlie Barnett is a contributor at KnoxTNToday for a weekly column, DocTalk, providing his expertise on health and wellness management.
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