A growing number of spas, such as The Ranch, now offer walking-based programmes / photo: the ranch hudson valley
Anew study by the University of Sydney is one of the first to objectively measure whether daily steps can offset the health risks of sedentary behaviour.
The results, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine*, discovered that 10,000 steps a day can reduce the risk of premature death and cardiovascular disease the most, even if you’re inactive the rest of the time. What’s more, just a small number of steps can still make a difference.
The findings play into the growing popularity of walking-based programmes offered by numerous resort and destination spas worldwide.
Data tracking The research was based on 72,174 individuals (average age 61 and 58 per cent female) who wore an accelerometer device for seven days. The daily step count and time spent sedentary was calculated and the health trajectory of the participants was followed up via hospitalisation data and death records.
Participants who were inactive for less than 10.5 hours a day were classified as having low sedentary time and those who were inactive for more than 10.5 hours a day or more were considered to have high sedentary time.
all movement matters Based on the findings, the authors calculated that 9,000 to 10,000 steps per day was the optimal number to counteract high sedentary time. This lowered premature mortality risk by 39 per cent and cardiovascular disease risk by 21 per cent.
In both cases, 50 per cent of the benefit was achieved at between 4,000 and 4,500 steps a day. And researchers suggested that any amount of daily steps above 2,200 is associated with lower health risks regardless of the time spent being sedentary.
Lead author and research fellow, Dr Matthew Ahmadi, says: “This is by no means a get out of jail card for people who are sedentary for excessive periods of time, however, it does hold an important public health message that all movement matters.”
Senior author, professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, adds: “We hope this evidence will inform the first generation of device-based physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines, which should include key recommendations on daily stepping.”
*Ahmadi M, et al. Do the associations of daily steps with mortality and incident CV disease differ by sedentary time levels? British Journal of Sports Medicine. March 2024.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2024 issue 2
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Spas must adapt to unlock new avenues for growth while mitigating the impact of climate change, says Katie Barnes
Top Team: Therme Group
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Interview: Susie Ellis
The chair of the Global Wellness Summit has been fundamental in defining the industry and continues to drive it forward
Sponsored: Comfort Zone: Powered by nature
B Corp-certified skincare company Comfort Zone has added a new body lotion to its Hydramemory range, which is inspired by the water-retaining powers of desert plants
Interview: Roger Tempest
The owner of Broughton Sanctuary in the UK is transforming the 900-year-old estate into a retreat-based business
Sponsored: Lemi: touched by tech
Italian spa equipment supplier, Lemi, is embracing the trend towards tech-driven wellness treatments, while also driving sustainable industry practices
First person: The real deal?
What’s the value of an authentic treatment? Andrew and Karin Gibson take to the hammams of Istanbul to find out
Wellness: Full recovery
SIRO is staking a claim to be the world’s first fitness and recovery hotel brand and is planning 100 properties. Lisa Starr visits the first site in Dubai
Sponsored: Gharieni: Defining the well universe
The launch of Gharieni’s new touchless technology brand
Metawell is perfectly aligned with the future direction of spa
and wellness, says the company’s CEO, Sammy Gharieni
Software: Member benefits
Up to a third of spa-goers now have a spa membership. What support can software systems offer?
Sponsored: Myrtha: Herbal Sauna
Pools and wellness facilities expert, Myrtha’s new Herbal Sauna, brings an innovative and therapeutic experience to the spa, says Stefano Cattaneo
A growing number of spas, such as The Ranch, now offer walking-based programmes / photo: the ranch hudson valley
Anew study by the University of Sydney is one of the first to objectively measure whether daily steps can offset the health risks of sedentary behaviour.
The results, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine*, discovered that 10,000 steps a day can reduce the risk of premature death and cardiovascular disease the most, even if you’re inactive the rest of the time. What’s more, just a small number of steps can still make a difference.
The findings play into the growing popularity of walking-based programmes offered by numerous resort and destination spas worldwide.
Data tracking The research was based on 72,174 individuals (average age 61 and 58 per cent female) who wore an accelerometer device for seven days. The daily step count and time spent sedentary was calculated and the health trajectory of the participants was followed up via hospitalisation data and death records.
Participants who were inactive for less than 10.5 hours a day were classified as having low sedentary time and those who were inactive for more than 10.5 hours a day or more were considered to have high sedentary time.
all movement matters Based on the findings, the authors calculated that 9,000 to 10,000 steps per day was the optimal number to counteract high sedentary time. This lowered premature mortality risk by 39 per cent and cardiovascular disease risk by 21 per cent.
In both cases, 50 per cent of the benefit was achieved at between 4,000 and 4,500 steps a day. And researchers suggested that any amount of daily steps above 2,200 is associated with lower health risks regardless of the time spent being sedentary.
Lead author and research fellow, Dr Matthew Ahmadi, says: “This is by no means a get out of jail card for people who are sedentary for excessive periods of time, however, it does hold an important public health message that all movement matters.”
Senior author, professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, adds: “We hope this evidence will inform the first generation of device-based physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines, which should include key recommendations on daily stepping.”
*Ahmadi M, et al. Do the associations of daily steps with mortality and incident CV disease differ by sedentary time levels? British Journal of Sports Medicine. March 2024.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2024 issue 2
Editor's letter: Cool customers
Spas must adapt to unlock new avenues for growth while mitigating the impact of climate change, says Katie Barnes
Top Team: Therme Group
With its focus on affordable wellness, Therme Group is expanding its social spa concept globally. Jane Kitchen speaks to the people behind the brand
Interview: Susie Ellis
The chair of the Global Wellness Summit has been fundamental in defining the industry and continues to drive it forward
Sponsored: Comfort Zone: Powered by nature
B Corp-certified skincare company Comfort Zone has added a new body lotion to its Hydramemory range, which is inspired by the water-retaining powers of desert plants
Interview: Roger Tempest
The owner of Broughton Sanctuary in the UK is transforming the 900-year-old estate into a retreat-based business
Sponsored: Lemi: touched by tech
Italian spa equipment supplier, Lemi, is embracing the trend towards tech-driven wellness treatments, while also driving sustainable industry practices
First person: The real deal?
What’s the value of an authentic treatment? Andrew and Karin Gibson take to the hammams of Istanbul to find out
Wellness: Full recovery
SIRO is staking a claim to be the world’s first fitness and recovery hotel brand and is planning 100 properties. Lisa Starr visits the first site in Dubai
Sponsored: Gharieni: Defining the well universe
The launch of Gharieni’s new touchless technology brand
Metawell is perfectly aligned with the future direction of spa
and wellness, says the company’s CEO, Sammy Gharieni
Software: Member benefits
Up to a third of spa-goers now have a spa membership. What support can software systems offer?
Sponsored: Myrtha: Herbal Sauna
Pools and wellness facilities expert, Myrtha’s new Herbal Sauna, brings an innovative and therapeutic experience to the spa, says Stefano Cattaneo
People taking GLP-1 weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound
may be losing weight, but they’re also becoming less physically active, according to new
research presented at the ENDO 2026 annual meeting of the Endocrine Society
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Global retreat trade show, Synergy The Retreat Show, has launched a resource called The
Source, which hosts an open-access online Transformation Series programme.
The Standards Authority for Touch in Cancer Care (SATCC) charity has announced its first five-
day Living with Cancer and Beyond retreat, which will be held at Carden Park Hotel and Spa in
Cheshire, UK, between 1 and 5 September.
Patmos Aktis, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, has opened in Greece, with a renovated and
rebranded wellness offering called Ansana Wellness and Spa.
The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an Autograph Collection property in Hawaii, US, has opened its
22,000 sq ft indoor-outdoor Spa at Mauna Kea as the final step in the property’s overall
renovation, which has cost more than US$180 million (€166 million, £140 mill
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced
it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House
Hotel in St Albans, UK.
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this
percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey’s Future of
Wellness 2026 research report.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of
a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
