In an age dominated by digital screens and sedentary lifestyles, the simple act of walking has emerged as a powerful antidote to the myriad health challenges faced by modern society. Beyond its physical benefits, walking holds the key to fostering a sense of community and connecting individuals. In this age of connectivity, where social interactions often occur through virtual platforms, we’re sitting more than ever. According to the Mayo Clinic, and its analysis of 13 studies, “those who sat for more than 8 hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking.”From the streets of bustling metropolises to the serene pathways of suburban enclaves, we delve into the transformative impact simply putting one foot in front of the other can have on your health: from how much you need to walk to how to get your people moving more. Here, we explore walking for health in numbers.3.2 million According to World Health Organization data, insufficient physical activity is responsible for 3.2 million deaths each year — the fourth most frequent cause worldwide.10,000 stepsThe number 10,000 has long been touted as the magic number of steps you need for optimum health — but a new study has shown that even 4,000 steps a day may be enough to see a benefit. The figure 10,000 initially came from a Japanese pedometer marketing campaign, and stuck! 4,000 steps A study of more than 226,000 people, worldwide, showed that 4,000 steps was enough to start a reduction in the risks associated with dying prematurely.2,300 stepsAny steps are helpful for your health. Just over 2,300 is enough to benefit the heart and blood vessels — although the more you do, the more the health benefits. 1,000 steps Every little bit helps. And for every extra 1,000 steps beyond the 4,000 steps (up to 20,000), you reduce your risk of dying early by 15%. Age doesn't matterUnlike running, or other high-intensity fitness targets, walking is accessible for anyone of any age. The team from the Medical University of Lodz in Poland and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the US confirm that walking benefits apply to people of all ages.How to get your people movingAt YuLife, it’s an understanding of the preventative power of simple daily activities such as walking, that’s been the basis of the YuLife app. Businesses providing group insurance to their employees with YuLife, all receive access to the YuLife app — and the app provides single-point access to all of their employee benefits. But in addition, it features a rewards system that encourages daily interaction and small steps towards health goals including walking. By walking for just 5 minutes, employees receive YuCoin. For walking 10 minutes, they receive more. For 30 minutes, even more. The amount depends on their earn rate (which increases with the insurance covers the have) but even if you don’t log in, you’re accumulating YuCoin for your activity, and you can earn for:Every 2000 steps walkedEvery km cycledEvery 5 minutes spent on mindfulnessYuCoin translates into real-world rewards. They can be exchanged for vouchers and discounts from top-rated brands.For example, for 4,053 YuCoin you can get R100 worth of Dis-Chem vouchers, and for 10,500 you can get R250 worth of FootGear vouchers. The result? Real-life rewards for taking the small steps to more activity — that ultimately improves the health of your employees.“Health and wellness has become quite complicated and people sometimes feel that it’s not accessible to the mainstream,” says Sammy Rubin, Founder of YuLife. “Even just working out can become quite a complicated thing. But actually, it’s much easier than people think.“It’s about going for a 5-minute walk, it’s about walking up the stairs rather than taking an elevator, it’s about doing a 5-minute strength workout in the kitchen, it’s about taking 10 minutes on a train and meditating. At YuLife, we’re here to make better health accessible for everyone.”About YuLife.YuLife is working to reimagine the insurance industry by protecting lives, rewarding living and inspiring life. We’re on a mission to transform traditional insurance into a life-enhancing experience each employee will value and use daily. How does it work? Our award-winning app uses behavioural science and game mechanics to reward your people for living well while offering protection in case of crisis. And with our top-rated employee assistance programme, your team gets access to mental, financial and social support, virtual GPs, nutritionists, life coaches and more to help them live their best lives.Because we believe that your employees should benefit from their insurance from day one — and that wellbeing should be accessible every day, for everyone.Request a demo for your team today.