Yes, counting steps might make you healthier

While wearing a daily fitness tracker can be a powerful tool and motivator, experts warn they can also turn what were once fun activities into what feel like daily obligations. (Adobe Stock photo)

People who track their daily steps may not only be more active, they may also be less likely to develop health problems that lead to events like heart attacks or broken bones, a new study suggests. 

Researchers examined data on 1,297 participants from clinical trials that randomly assigned half of the people to track steps with pedometers over 12 weeks while the rest of them did no tracking at all. When they joined the trial, people took about 7,500 steps a day and got 90 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous physical activity in at least 10-minute bouts.