With the rise of tracking devices such as Apple Watches, Fitbits, and even smartphones tracking step counts, more people are paying attention to how many steps they get each day. It's common to hear that you should aim for 10,000 steps per day—but how accurate is this advice? And if that number is important, why? In this post, we'll discuss the most recent evidence surrounding step counts and explore the health benefits of increasing your daily steps.
The advice to aim for 10,000 steps per day is widespread, but where did it come from? Surprisingly, this recommendation didn't originate from specific research. It actually started as a marketing campaign by a Japanese company promoting a new pedometer called the Manpo-Kei, which translates to "10,000-step meter" in English. This catchy idea took off, becoming widely accepted despite not being backed by science at the time.
In 2023, a study analyzed data from 17 research papers involving 226,889 participants to examine the relationship between step count and mortality. The study specifically looked at both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality, meaning deaths from any cause or from cardiovascular incidents like heart attacks. For the first time, researchers examined step counts far beyond 13,000 steps per day, and the results were interesting. The research found no upper limit on the benefits of step counts, with improvements seen even up to 20,000 steps per day, the highest amount studied. For every additional 1,000 steps per day, all-cause mortality decreased by 15%, and cardiovascular mortality decreased by 7% with every additional 500 steps.
It's important to note that this doesn't mean you need to reach 20,000 steps per day to see health benefits. In fact, the research showed that cardiovascular mortality improvements start at just 2,500 steps per day, and all-cause mortality improvements begin at 4,000 steps. If you're currently sedentary and find yourself below these numbers, reaching them is likely achievable with small lifestyle changes—such as parking farther away from stores, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or going for a 15-minute walk during the day. Once you reach these initial step counts, you can gradually increase by 500 to 1,000 steps over time to enjoy further health benefits.
One caveat to keep in mind is the possibility of correlation rather than causation in these studies. Since the research looked at large groups of people and their habits, rather than assigning people to specific step goals, it's possible that healthier individuals tend to walk more, while people who are sick or frail may walk less. This could mean that step counts are a proxy for general health rather than the direct cause of improved health outcomes. However, there is also evidence suggesting that walking interventions themselves improve health. For example, studies on adults who joined walking groups showed improvements in blood pressure, resting heart rate, body fat percentage, BMI, cholesterol levels, VO2 max, and even symptoms of depression2. This supports the idea that increasing daily steps can indeed have direct health benefits, including reducing both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.
First, remember that if you're hitting at least 4,000 steps per day, you're already lowering your mortality risk compared to someone who isn’t. If you’re not there yet, don’t worry—there are plenty of ways to reach this goal, and it doesn't matter if you break it up throughout the day or take a dedicated walk. As a rough estimate, 1,000 steps will take around 10 minutes, depending on your pace. Most of us can fit in three to four 10-minute walks throughout the day, whether during a lunch break, after dinner, or whenever it suits your schedule.
For those already walking more than 4,000 steps per day, keep in mind that current research suggests more is better. If you have the time and energy, increasing your step count further could offer additional benefits. While it would be simpler to have a blanket recommendation of 10,000 steps, decisions about activity and health are rarely so straightforward. Instead, aim for a step count that works for your lifestyle, factoring in your available time, energy levels, and any family history of cardiovascular disease.
If you are having a hard time figuring out how to get more steps in your day book an appointment today and our experts at Maven will be happy to assist you.
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