Do you really need 10,000 steps? Research shows 7,000 a day already does a lot

Ten thousand steps a day is seen by many as a must. The number has no scientific basis: it goes back to a Japanese marketing campaign from the 1960s, as epidemiologist Amanda Paluch writes for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). A team led by Melody Ding of the University of Sydney analysed 57 studies from more than ten countries in The Lancet Public Health to identify realistic targets.

Compared with 2,000 steps a day, 7,000 steps was linked to a 47 percent lower risk of death – additional steps beyond that bring a smaller extra benefit. Dementia risk was 38 percent lower, cardiovascular disease risk 25 percent lower, and depressive symptoms 22 percent less common. Up to around 7,000 steps, each additional thousand brought a clear benefit; after that the curve flattened. "Aiming for 7000 steps is a realistic goal based on our findings," says Ding. For type 2 diabetes, the university reports a 22 percent lower risk at 10,000 steps and 27 percent at 12,000.

The limits: the studies are observational, measuring devices differ, and the certainty of evidence was very low for some outcomes such as falls. According to the ACSM review, people over 60 already benefit clearly from 6,000 to 8,000 steps, younger adults rather from 8,000 to 10,000. Steps do not replace physical activity guidelines but are a practical everyday yardstick – taking the stairs instead of the lift, a walk at lunchtime or getting off one stop earlier. Those who barely walk so far benefit from every additional thousand steps.