Dose‐response association between step count and cardiovascular disease risk markers in middle‐aged adults

Several step‐based daily targets have been widely circulated, but there is a lack of empirical population‐based evidence to support such guidance. We examined dose‐response associations between step count and classical CVD risk markers (glycated hemoglobin, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and C‐reactive protein) in 4665 adults (aged 46 years; 51.4% female) in a cross‐sectional study. Step counts were measured from a thigh mounted accelerometer (activPAL) worn over 7 days. The shape of the dose‐response curve for most risk markers was “L‐shaped,” with linear risk reduction up to around 10 000 steps a day. Controlling for stepping intensity did not materially alter our results.