What does 10,000 steps a day really do? Here’s why your daily step count is not everything

It is one of those health messages that has become lodged into our public health consciousness. But despite us being told to aim for 10,000 steps a day, the average British person still only takes between 3-4,000 steps a day, according to the NHS. And those who work from home could be taking much less.

So, the new research from the London School of Economics (LSE) showing that walking 5,000 steps three times a week could add three years to your life will be welcome news for many. It seems that finally there is something that most of us can happily achieve without too much extra effort.

A third of us are currently considered inactive because we do less than the government’s guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, the equivalent of 20 minutes – approximately 2,400 steps – walking a day. The LSE research found that regular walking for more than two years adds 2.5 years to the life expectancy of physically inactive men and three years for inactive women.

In fact, the benefits were more pronounced the older people were. People aged 65 and over could even potentially cut their risk of death by 72 per cent if they took 7,500 steps a few times a week.

They also found that 55-year-olds with type 2 diabetes could reduce their risk of death by 40 per cent if they start walking just 5,000 steps three times a week.

Add these new findings to another study that came out just last week, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that showed that taking 4,000 daily steps reduced the risk of an early death by 20 per cent and that any steps over 2,200 steps a day improved health and mortality – does it mean that “10,000 steps a day” has been a myth all along?

The number originally came about in 1964, when a Japanese marketing campaign used the idea to promote a pedometer named “manpo-kei” which translates to “10,000 steps meter”. Since then, it’s become a global standard and while it’s a great target, it’s not the only amount of activity that will deliver benefits.

“While 10,000 steps can incentivise people and stimulate them to do more towards a target, when it comes to step count and any activity, it’s like a medicine; there’s a dose-response,” says Stephen Harridge, professor of human and applied physiology at King’s College London. “In other words, the more you do, the better off you are.”

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Indeed, since that Japanese campaign, researchers have been studying step counts for the last six decades. While the research suggests anything is better than nothing, it doesn’t mean 300 steps is better than 75 – you need a basic minimum for health.

The British Journal of Sports Medicine research found that every daily step above 2,200 a day lowered the risk of heart disease and early death with the lowest risk being among people who took between 9,000 and 10,500 steps daily. The lowest risks of heart attack were found in those that took about 9,700 steps a day. 

There’s also a concept of “activity set point”, which is the amount of activity you need to maintain your health, says Harridge. “As people get older, it’s likely they won’t need 10,000 steps and that less is likely to suffice.”

If you’re walking faster, fewer steps may be needed. “Walking briskly on a challenging surface is more beneficial than walking very slowly on a flat surface,’ says Prof Harridge.

In fact, Public Health England encourages people to take the focus off 10,000 steps a day and put it on pace instead, advising we should all be aiming to walk briskly every day for a minimum of 10 minutes.

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A study published last November found that walking at a “fairly brisk” pace of 3-4 miles an hour (4.8-6.4km) could reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 24 per cent. Walking at a speed of more than four miles an hour (6.4km) reduces risk by 39 per cent.

Many people may see the 10,000 steps target as unattainable so they don’t bother trying, says Dr Nicholas Berger, a senior lecturer in exercise physiology at Teesside University. And on low activity days, it’s helpful to aim for a minimum of activity. 

“The body of newer research does confirm that the amount of steps for someone that wants to be cardiovascularly and metabolically healthy is between 9,000 and 10,500 daily,” says Dr Berger. “But that doesn’t mean that you can't live longer if you never do it. If you’re looking for a minimum daily step count then you could do as little as 4,000 and still have some benefits.”

There’s a difference between formal exercise sessions and daily activity which is measured in steps. The former is important to condition your body and cardiovascular system but you need steps – or general movement – for your overall health.

“Our bodies are designed to be metabolically functioning and you can only get that by moving around,” says Berger. “The muscles and bones need to be put under stress and you need to metabolise the food you’re eating throughout the day through, and if you continue doing that then your body will function at a high level and you will be less likely to develop metabolic disease and cardiovascular disease.”

Indeed, for heart health you need to minimise your sit time, says Sindy Jodar, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation. “Just like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking, sitting for long periods is a major risk factor for heart and circulatory diseases as it can lead to fatty material building up in your arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.”

In a simplistic way, the steps you take throughout the day keep your body’s engine running, says Berger. “Your muscle needs to be fed with oxygen and nutrients, which obviously come from the food that you eat which keeps them functioning properly. Metabolically, that means that less likely to become resistant to insulin because movement helps you take the energy from the bloodstream from food and use it with your muscles. When you’re not doing that your entire system suffers.”

If living longer is your thing, by all means, stick to 5,000 steps a few times a week. For mood benefits, research shows just 10 minutes – about 1,000 steps – can make you feel better. 

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But for goals like weight loss, it’s more like that famed number, according to research which found that people who lost more than 10 per cent of their body weight over 18 months did indeed do 10,000 steps a day, 

If heart health is your aim though, one study found that anything really is better than nothing. A 2023 study from the American Heart Association found that in the over-70s every additional 500 steps taken equated to a 14 per cent lower risk of heart disease, stroke or heart failure.

Plus, adults who took just 4,500 steps a day had a 77 per cent lower chance of a heart attack than those who took less than 2,000 steps daily. 

“Walk a little bit further or if you can’t then walk faster to the bus stop or take the stairs at a faster pace,” says Harridge. “If you can’t get the distance in, increase the intensity. Better still, do both but don’t get hung up over 10,000 daily steps, just do something more than you did yesterday.”

A step up, literally.