The 10,000-Step Myth: What Does Science Really Say?

Smartwatches, phones, fitness bands… Wherever you look, you see the same message: “You should walk 10,000 steps a day!” But is this number truly based on science—or is it simply a clever marketing idea?

Where did the 10,000-step goal come from?

The 10,000-step target did not originate from scientific research; it was born out of a marketing idea in Japan. That said, don’t worry—science has examined it thoroughly ever since.

The idea dates back to the 1960s, around the time Japan was preparing to host the Olympic Games. Dr. Iwao Ohya was concerned about the increasingly sedentary lifestyle of the general population and wanted to encourage people to walk more in daily life. In collaboration with a Japanese watch company, a pedometer was produced and named Manpo-kei (万歩計)—which literally means “10,000-step counter.”

万 (man) → 10.000

歩 (po) → step

計 (kei) → counter

Credit where it’s due: it was a brilliant name. Not only was it simple, memorable, and target-oriented, but the character 万 (man), meaning 10,000, also visually resembles a person walking. The slogan was so powerful that we are still talking about it decades later. At the time this pedometer was developed, there were no scientific studies to support a specific daily step recommendation—but fortunately, the topic has since been extensively researched.

What does the research say?

In a study conducted by Harvard University involving more than 17,000 women with an average age of 72, even walking 4,400 steps per day made a meaningful difference. Compared with those who walked 2,700 steps, mortality risk was 41% lower. As daily step count increased, mortality risk decreased—but only up to about 7,500 steps, after which additional steps did not provide extra benefit. In this age group, it was not walking speed but total movement volume that mattered most, likely because only 0.2% of participants were able to walk at speeds ≥4 km/h. The researchers also emphasized that step counts are far more practical for public health messaging: many people struggle to understand recommendations like “150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week,” whereas “7,000 steps per day” is concrete, measurable, and motivating (1).

A large 10-year study in the United States including nearly 5,000 adults with an average age of 56 found that those who walked 8,000 steps per day had a 51% lower risk of death compared with those walking 4,000 steps. Similar to the Harvard study, the researchers concluded that step intensity was not more important than total step count—what mattered most was simply being active (2).

Another major study using UK Biobank data, which has followed 78,500 individuals for years and includes detailed information on step count and walking pace, found no clear minimum threshold. Every additional 2,000 steps per day was associated with a further reduction in cardiovascular disease and cancer risk. Benefits increased progressively up to about 10,000 steps per day, after which they plateaued. This study also showed that individuals who walked at a higher average pace during their most active 30 minutes of the day had lower risk than others, suggesting that even brief periods of brisk walking provide extra protection (3).

The accuracy of step counters varies depending on where the device is worn, with ankle placement providing the most accurate results. Smartwatches do have some measurement error—particularly in older adults or those who walk slowly—but they remain the most practical and widely used option. Importantly, regardless of the device used, previously inactive individuals who start tracking their steps tend to increase their daily activity by an average of 2,500 additional steps (4).

Fitness Gurusu’s Perspective

Here, we’re talking about walking as physical activity, not exercise. For a physical activity to qualify as structured exercise, key principles such as frequency, intensity, and duration must be planned on an individual basis. Maximum benefit from exercise comes from respecting these principles. While fitness professionals can design such plans with relative ease, this is much more difficult for individuals without access to expert guidance. That’s why simple targets like “10,000 steps per day” can be useful for the general population. They help initiate behavior change and turn movement into a habit - simple, but effective.

However, remember that personalization matters far more than the total number of steps or minutes. If you don’t have the opportunity to work with a trainer, it’s still beneficial to walk at a more intentional pace for part of your daily steps—occasionally increasing your speed with an exercise mindset. One practical approach is to walk at the pace you naturally use when you’re trying to get somewhere on time. Yes, it can feel challenging, but it doesn’t have to be exhausting. After a few minutes of brisk walking, you can always return to your comfortable pace.

Key takeaways:

• Walking 10,000 steps per day is not mandatory; even 4,000 steps provide health benefits.

• Health benefits increase as step count increases—but walking a million steps a day won’t make you immortal, just extremely tired.

• In older adults, benefits tend to plateau around 6,000–8,000 steps, while in younger adults this range is closer to 8,000–10,000 steps.

• For many people, walking pace matters more than step count—adding some brisk walking can increase benefits.

• Even slow movement is always better than no movement at all.

1. Lee, I.-M. Association of step volume and intensity with all-cause mortality in older women. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2019.

2. Saint-Maurice, P. F. Association of daily step count and step intensity with mortality among US adults. JAMA. 2020.

3. Del Pozo Cruz, B. Prospective associations of daily step counts and intensity with cancer and cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality and all-cause mortality. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2022.

4. Bassett, D. R. Step counting: A review of measurement considerations and health-related applications. Sports Medicine. 2017.