Is Walking 10,000 Steps a Day Really Necessary?

A recent trend in the fitness industry has been to include walking in your routine. Fitness trackers and pedometers have become staple accessories, and the magic number 10,000 is the new standard amount of steps for everyone to aim for. But is walking 10,000 steps everyday even an attainable goal? And should it be the universal number?

Being able to hit 10,000 steps really depends on your lifestyle. Someone who lives and works in New York City will likely have a much easier time getting more daily steps than someone who works from home and their main commute is the 100 steps from their bed to desk. If you fall more closely with the latter, an easy way to up your step count is by going for designated walks to clear your mind, and listen to music or a podcast.

The fact is, the reasoning behind the recommendation to take 10,000 steps a day is not rooted in science, but actually in marketing. According to Dr. I-Min Lee, an epidemiologist and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and a researcher on physical activity, the 10,000 step figure became popular in Japan in the 1960s. After the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, a Japanese company wanted to capitalize on the new surge of interest in fitness, and created a pedometer named “Manpo-kei.” The device name translates to “10,000 steps meter,” which has carried on through the decades as the gold standard.

A study done in 2019 by Dr. Lee found that women in their 70s who got in only 4,400 steps per day reduced their risk of premature death by 40 percent, compared to those who walked 2,700 steps per day. While the benefits for women who walked more than 5,000 steps per day increased, Dr. Lee found that the benefits plateaued when they hit 7,500 steps.

So, yes getting more steps in will provide health benefits and promote longevity, but there’s no need to stress about getting in a full 10,000. Consider where you are starting, and try to add 1,000 more to that each week. Whether it be taking your dog out for a longer walk, getting meals delivered less, taking the stairs more often, or simply just making yourself go for a walk for at least 20 minutes a day. And if you ever need help increasing your step intake, be sure to listen to the 20 minute episodes of Running Your Mouth with Bob and Christi.