How fitness trackers have ‘gamified’ walking

• Walking has become a trendy way to showcase a healthy lifestyle, with step counts serving as a humblebrag on social media.
• While 10,000 steps is often cited as the ideal, studies show that even 4,000 steps can significantly reduce the risk of premature death, and every additional 1,000 steps further lowers this risk.
• The popularity of fitness trackers has gamified walking, encouraging people to measure their activity levels – but a focus on step count can detract from the stress-reducing benefits of walking itself.
• The recent shift towards walking as a preferred form of exercise is partly due to the pandemic, which forced people to reassess their fitness routines and embrace lower-impact activities.
• Walking offers numerous health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, reduced stress hormones, and better mental well-being, especially when done outdoors.

IN FULL

How your step count became the ultimate modern humblebrag