- New research published in The Lancet confirms we’ve been misjudging our step goals for better health.
- Turns out, you can achieve significant health benefits without hitting that 10,000 steps mark.
- Here’s the scoop from health experts about what this means for your day-to-day routine.
We’ve all heard that we need to hit 10,000 steps a day to be healthy; it’s almost become a mantra. However, this number—which translates to about five miles—has more to do with marketing than real scientific evidence, as Women’s Health noted earlier this year. Sure, it’s a nice round figure that’s easy to remember and perfectly fits into most fitness trackers. But guess what? It’s not as crucial as we thought.
A recent insight from The Lancet Public Health puts this old standard to rest by demonstrating that health benefits actually level off before you even hit 10,000 steps.
If you’re confidently reaching 10,000 steps daily, great! Keep going. But if that number feels daunting—especially with everything else on your plate—there’s good news! This new research gives us better targets. Let’s explore what the scientists found and what trainers suggest as new realistic goals for your daily step count.
Meet the experts: Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab; Dani Singer, CPT, founder of Fit2Go Personal Training
What Did the Research Uncover?
The study in question analyzed data from 88 different research projects, connecting daily step counts to the risks of several health issues. The findings were pretty eye-opening: people walking around 7,000 steps a day enjoy a lower risk of serious problems, like heart disease, dementia, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and depression when compared to those who only tapped out at 2,000 steps.
And here’s the kicker—while those who hit 10,000 steps tended to have a lower overall mortality risk, the added health rewards from going beyond 7,000 steps were minimal.
As stated in the study, “While 10,000 steps a day was historically an unofficial target associated with reduced risks for various health issues, the improvements attainably started to stagnate past 7,000 steps. Essentially, setting a goal of 7,000 steps per day may be more attainable for many, while 10,000 steps can still be a good benchmark for the more active individual.”
Where Did We Get the 10,000 Steps Number?
This famous figure didn’t just pop out of nowhere. A Tokyo doctor named Iwao Ohya initially dreamed it up, crafting a fitness tracker called the Manpo-Kei, which literally translates to “10,000 step meter” along with engineer Jiro Kato.
While some say the number was inspired by the fact that the Japanese character for ten thousand looks like a person striding, the truth remains a bit murky (both inventors have since passed). This catchy number spread among fitness enthusiasts and developers without any substantial clinical backing back then—“and that hasn’t changed,” points out Dani Singer.
What Makes 10,000 Steps Untrustworthy?
If you’re hitting 10,000 steps, no one’s disputing that’s a lot of movement—beneficial in its own right. The real issue is how arbitrary that specific number turned out to be. “It stemmed from a marketing initiative and not genuine health research,” says Albert Matheny, emphasizing that scientific support for this number has never been solid.
And here’s a key takeaway: folks can achieve notable health benefits without having to crush that 10,000-step ceiling; even between 5,000 and 7,000 can work wonders. “Improvements in health status indicate a meaningful uptick starting around 2,000 steps. Don’t stress if your daily numbers are lower or different—these goals shouldn’t feel all-or-nothing!” says Singer.
So, if you find happiness in regularly hitting the 10,000 step mark, keep it going. Just know it’s not some mystical target that you have to aim at every day!
How Many Steps Should I Aim for Each Day?
According to recent study conclusions, shooting for around 5,000 to 7,000 daily steps is ideal. This translates to about 2 to 3.5 miles in total, depending on how long your stride actually is. “While there’s certainly nothing wrong with trying for 10,000, that’s not where the hardcore science stands,” reminds Matheny.
So if aspiring to hit 10,000 helps motivate you, go for it! But even if you come up short, 7,000 is still a win. In fact, just taking a few thousand steps is infinitely better than doing nothing at all, as Matheny notes.
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