NOT HITTING 10K STEPS A DAY?

I often have patients tell me they’re disappointed when they don’t reach 10,000 steps in a day. Here’s why they don’t need to be…

10K ISN’T A MAGIC NUMBER

Despite being one of the most well-known daily activity targets, 10K steps isn’t actually an evidence-based threshold for good health.

The 10,000-step target actually originated from a Japanese marketing campaign in the 1960s and has stuck around ever since. So, how many steps do we actually need?

THE STEP SCIENCE

A large 2025 review looked at how the number of steps we take each day is associated with our overall health.

Researchers analysed data from 57 studies and found that around 7,000 steps per day was associated with substantial health benefits. This is obviously well below the commonly promoted 10,000 step target.

So, what are the benefits?

THE BENEFITS OF 7,000 STEPS

Compared with walking 2,000 steps per day, around 7,000 steps per day was associated with:

EVERY STEP COUNTS

However, 7,000 steps isn’t another magic number.

If you’re currently walking 3,000 or 4,000 steps a day, don’t feel like you need to suddenly reach 7,000 for your movement to matter.

Research shows that health benefits begin well below 7,000 steps, with benefits generally increasing as we move more.

When it comes to movement, something is always better than nothing.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• 10,000 steps isn’t a magic number. You can see significant health benefits with less.

• Around 7,000 steps is a great target. Research suggests substantial benefits around this amount.

• Movement shouldn’t feel like a monumental task. Start small, keep moving and remember that every little bit counts.