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Do you really need 10,000 steps a day?

What you hear: “10,000 steps a day is the magic number for health.”

What the studies found

In 15 cohorts of 47,471 adults, people averaging about 10,900 steps had a 53% lower death rate than those averaging about 3,600, but the benefit levelled off around 6,000 to 8,000 steps for over-60s and 8,000 to 10,000 for younger adults. A 2025 review found 7,000 steps a day went with a 47% lower death rate than 2,000, with the curve flattening around 5,000 to 7,000. These studies observe people, so they show a link, not proof steps cause the difference.

What you could do

Aim to walk more than you do now; around 7,000 to 8,000 steps a day captures most of the observed benefit.

See it in the habit library, with what it means for your own longevity score.

Not medical advice. General information from published studies, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. Talk with your doctor before starting a supplement or changing a medicine, especially if you are pregnant, take other medicines or have a health condition.

How we judged it

Partly true: Some truth, but oversold as usually said. We judge the claim as it is usually said online, not the habit itself. Trials assign people at random, so they can show cause; observed studies follow people and show a link, not proof. Last checked: October 2026.

The studies, in their own words

1. Paluch et al. Lancet Public Health 2022

   progressively decreasing risk of mortality among adults aged 60 years and older with increasing number of steps per day until 6000-8000 steps per day and among adults younger than 60 years until 8000-10 000 steps per day

2. Ding et al. Lancet Public Health 2025

   compared with 2000 steps per day, 7000 steps per day was associated with a 47% lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR 0·53 [95% CI 0·46-0·60]

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