You do not need exactly 10,000 steps. Research finds the health benefit levels off around 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day for adults under 60 and 6,000 to 8,000 for those over 60, and the biggest gain comes from moving out of the lowest range.
The famous 10,000 steps a day did not come from a lab. It traces back to a Japanese pedometer sold in the 1960s, whose name roughly meant "10,000-step meter". It was a catchy round number. The good news is that later research has looked at the question properly, and the real answer is friendlier.
What the research says
Large studies that followed people for years found that more daily steps go along with a lower risk of early death, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but the benefit does not start at 10,000.
- For adults under 60, the benefit kept growing up to about 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, then levelled off.
- For adults over 60, it levelled off earlier, at about 6,000 to 8,000 steps.
- The biggest jump in benefit comes from moving out of the lowest group. Going from 3,000 to 6,000 steps matters more than going from 9,000 to 12,000.
A 2022 analysis of 15 studies with almost 50,000 adults, published in The Lancet Public Health, found exactly this pattern.
If you walk 3,000 steps a day today, 5,000 is a big win. You do not have to jump to 10,000.
Steps and weight loss
Walking burns fewer calories per minute than running, but it is easy to do every day and it barely makes you hungrier. Roughly speaking, 1,000 steps burn about 30 to 50 calories, depending on your weight and pace. So adding 4,000 steps a day can mean around 150 to 200 extra calories burned daily, which adds up to a lot over a few months.
The calories you burn outside of exercise, by walking, standing and moving around, vary hugely between people. Raising your step count is the simplest way to raise them on purpose.
Does the pace matter?
Some. Brisk walking, where you can talk but not sing, gives extra benefits for heart and lung fitness. But all steps count. Start by walking more, and pick up the pace when it feels natural.
Easy ways to add steps
- Walk for 10 minutes after each meal. It also helps keep blood sugar steadier after eating.
- Take phone calls on your feet, and pace while you talk.
- Park further away from the entrance, or get off the bus a stop early.
- Take the stairs for anything under three floors.
- Walk to the mosque for at least one prayer a day if it is close.
- Evening walks with family or friends are easier to keep up than walks alone.
- In the heat of summer, walk in the early morning, after sunset, or in a mall.
Set a goal that fits you
Look at your average over the last week, not your best day. Add about 1,000 to 2,000 steps to it and keep that for two weeks. When it feels normal, add another 1,000. Keep going until you reach somewhere in the 7,000 to 10,000 range.
Sources
- Daily steps and mortality, a meta-analysis of 15 studies: Paluch et al., 2022
- Step count, step intensity and mortality: Saint-Maurice et al., 2020
- How many steps a day are enough for health: Tudor-Locke and Bassett, 2004
- Light walking breaks after sitting, and blood sugar: Buffey et al., 2022
The takeaway
There is nothing magic about 10,000. More steps help, the first extra thousands help the most, and the best goal is the one a little above what you do now. Shulah counts your steps from your phone, or from your watch through Health Connect, and shows them on your home screen with its steps widget.