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For your health, 7,000 to 10,000 steps a day is enough. Large studies show that most of the benefit comes up to roughly 8,000 steps, and after that it rises only slowly. People over 60 get a similar benefit at just 6,000 to 8,000 steps. Even if you don't reach 10,000, every extra 1,000 steps counts.
Where 10,000 steps came from
Doctors did not come up with 10,000. The number comes from Japan in 1965, when a company sold a pedometer called manpo-kei, which translates as "10,000-step meter."1 It was a nice round number that was easy to remember.
Only in recent years have we had studies that tracked hundreds of thousands of people with pedometers and watches. And they show that 10,000 is not a magic threshold.
What the large studies say
A meta-analysis in The Lancet Public Health pooled 15 studies with almost 50,000 people.2 People with the highest step counts had a 40 to 53% lower risk of death than those with the lowest. But the benefit leveled off:
| Age | Where the benefit levels off |
|---|---|
| Under 60 | 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day |
| Over 60 | 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day |
An even larger 2023 meta-analysis included more than 226,000 people.3 It found that the risk of death starts to fall from about 4,000 steps a day. Each additional 1,000 steps lowered it by roughly 15%. An American cardiology journal published a similar study the same year. There, the benefit started at just 2,500 steps and was greatest at around 8,800 steps.4
Does walking speed matter?
Less than you might expect. In a US study of 4,800 adults, total step count had the biggest effect. People who took 8,000 steps a day had half the risk of death of those who took 4,000.5 Once the researchers accounted for step count, walking speed made little difference.
Brisk walking is of course better for your heart and fitness. But if you have to choose between a slow, long walk and no walk at all, the slow walk wins.
How many steps to lose weight
Steps alone don't burn a lot of calories, but they add up every day. Roughly:
| Your weight | 1,000 steps | 5,000 extra steps |
|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | about 30 kcal | about 150 kcal |
| 80 kg | about 40 kcal | about 200 kcal |
| 100 kg | about 50 kcal | about 250 kcal |
If you add 5,000 steps a day, you burn an extra 1,000 to 1,800 kcal a week. That is a modest deficit, but one you can sustain long term. When it comes to fat loss, your diet does most of the work. Steps help you keep up the pace.
How to add steps without trying
- Walk while you're on the phone. Every call is a chance for a few hundred steps.
- Walk at least part of the way. Get off one stop early or park farther away.
- Take a walk after meals. 10 to 15 minutes after eating also helps your blood sugar.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator. A few floors a day add up fast.
- Set a goal 1,000 steps higher than where you are now. Once you are used to it, add another 1,000.
The World Health Organization recommends that adults get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week.6 For most people, that equals about 7,000 to 9,000 steps a day if they do no other sport.
Frequently asked questions
Do treadmill steps count?
Yes. Walking and running on a treadmill count just the same. Watches and bands measure them by your arm movement, a phone in your pocket by your body movement.
I take 3,000 steps a day. Is it worth adding more?
Definitely. The biggest health gain comes right at the start, when you go from a very low step count to 5,000 to 7,000.
Can strength training replace steps?
No, they complement each other. Strength training builds muscle and strength. Walking improves your heart, blood vessels and daily energy expenditure. Ideally, do both.
Is it better to do 10,000 steps at once or throughout the day?
For your health, the total is what matters. Spreading them across the day is easier for most people and also helps if you have a desk job.
References
- 1.Tudor-Locke C, Bassett DR. How many steps/day are enough? Preliminary pedometer indices for public health. Sports Med. 2004;34(1):1–8. doi:10.2165/00007256-200434010-00001
- 2.Paluch AE et al. Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts. Lancet Public Health. 2022;7(3):e219–e228. doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00302-900302-9)
- 3.Banach M et al. The association between daily step count and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: a meta-analysis. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2023;30(18):1975–1985. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwad229
- 4.Stens NA et al. Relationship of daily step counts to all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2023;82(15):1483–1494. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2023.07.029
- 5.Saint-Maurice PF et al. Association of daily step count and step intensity with mortality among US adults. JAMA. 2020;323(12):1151–1160. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.1382
- 6.Bull FC et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451–1462. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955
This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor or registered dietitian. If you have a health condition, talk to a professional before changing your training, diet or supplements.
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