Is 10,000 Steps the Right Amount?

FNP2writer, ASN, BSN, MSN, NP

I routinely talk with patients about what they do for their physical activity, and walking is a frequent response. However, the amount of walking my patients report is highly variable. I had one patient tell me they get up to open the door and let their dog out. Conversely, I have patients who walk up to 4 miles every day. Most of my patients fall somewhere in between this range. Commonly, people, these days have the goal of walking at least 10,000 steps every day. This number is so common that many of the wearable devices we use for tracking fitness have this number preset as a fitness goal for the wearer. But where did this mythical number come from, and is it really what the goal for improved health should be?

Where 10,000 steps came from

Many sources point to the Japanese company as the source of the 10,000 steps. The Yamasa company released a pedometer in 1964 with the name Manpo-kei. Translated this means "10,000 steps meter". When Fitbit launched in 2009 the company chose to promote 10,000 steps as a fitness goal because this number satisfies the recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control to be physically active for 150 minutes a week. With the popularity of Fitbit, many of the other wearable devices also took up this fitness goal. However, recent research is showing that 10,000 steps may not need to be the standard. Studies reported in JAMA Internal Medicine and Nature Medicine indicate walking 10,000 steps daily is not based on any proven research. Researchers in these studies looked at how many steps are really needed to maintain health.

Decreasing mortality

Harvard researchers published a study in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine in May 2019 that looked at the connection between the daily number of steps along with the intensity of steps in relation to the causes of mortality in older women. The researchers found that, on average, 4,400 daily steps decreased the overall risk of death in older women. This risk reduction continued to improve with the more steps taken. Researchers found the benefits of walking leveled off at about 7,500 daily steps. The researchers also found the level of intensity involved with walking did not have a significant impact on risk reduction.

Preventing chronic disease

A more recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine in October 2022 looked at the role daily steps play in chronic disease. This study was not explicitly aimed at women's health, but the majority (71%) of the participants were women. Researchers found the number of daily steps taken directly related to several chronic health issues. Low step count contributed to:

Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Diabetes
Hypertension
Obesity
Sleep apnea
Depression

The more daily steps taken correlated with a lower risk of developing these chronic health issues. The findings indicate the optimal number to ward off these chronic diseases is about 8,200 daily steps. Unlike the Harvard study, these researchers did find the level of intensity of the activity also affected the risk of developing chronic diseases.

Keep on moving

Staying physically active and keeping the body moving has long been known to improve overall well-being. These studies help define the range of walking needed to optimize health by reducing the risk of chronic disease and death. Walking 10,000 steps may not need to be the ultimate daily goal, but the amount of walking should definitely be more than just letting the dog out. Walking is a great low-impact activity that can be done by most individuals almost anywhere. So get up and go for a walk. Your life may depend on it.

References/Resources

Association of Step Volume and Intensity With All-Cause Mortality in Older Women

Association of step counts over time with the risk of chronic disease in the All of Us Research Program

Why is 10,000 steps a day the goal? Fitbit's CEO has some answers