15/04/2025
“Why am I gaining fat now I’m older? I eat the same as I always have!”
If that sounds like you, you’re not alone. One big reason? You’re probably moving a lot less than you used to.
Step counts drop with age, often without us even realising.
When you were younger, school, uni, jobs, social life… it all added up. Now? More sitting, more driving, more time at a desk. 🚗 🪑 💻
As you can see from this table, the average adult steps drop massively from childhood to your 30s, 40s and beyond.
Your habits may not have changed much, but your movement has. And that’s often where the fat gain sneaks in.
Sources:
– NHS Physical Activity Guidelines (children & adults)
– Public Health England Step Count Data
– Tudor-Locke et al., 2011 – “How many steps/day are enough?” (PMC3166269)
– UK health survey data for physical activity trends by age group
