Walking is one of the most powerful things a sedentary person can do

If you spend most of your day sitting and you're wondering where to start with your health, this study offers a direct and encouraging answer: walk. A large prospective analysis of over 72,000 UK adults published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that 9,000 to 10,500 daily steps was associated with the lowest risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease, independent of how much time participants spent sitting.

What's most notable for anyone with a sedentary lifestyle is that people who sat the most (more than 10.5 hours per day) got a stronger mortality benefit from accumulating those same steps, compared to those who sat less.

Even 4,000 to 4,500 steps per day was associated with roughly half the maximum benefit, so you don't have to hit 10,000 steps for it to matter. I've argued for years that the single most important thing a sedentary person can do is start walking. It doesn't have to be a formal exercise program or a major commitment. Walking provides substantial benefits on its own, and for many people it also builds the motivation to do more from there.

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