Steps: How Many Do You Really Need for Better Health?

by Tim Church, MD, MPH, PhD; and Renee Rogers, PhD, FACSM

Spring 2025

It is widely established that moving more each day is beneficial for health and quality of life improvements. One of the challenges associated with starting and maintaining an active lifestyle is tracking exactly how much activity you have accumulated in a given day. Counting daily steps is a simple and effective method for creating “activity awareness” – shedding light on how much you actually move each day. It’s also a great tool for setting “movement improvement” goals.

For years, 10,000 steps per day has been the target for daily movement, often cited as the threshold for good health. However, the extensive available data suggests that significant health benefits can be achieved with much fewer steps. This article explores and clarifies the latest studies on daily step counts and offers practical, approachable tips for integrating more movement into daily life through “activity awareness” and “movement improvement” goals.

Rethinking the 10,000-Step Myth

Did you know that the 10,000-step recommendation originated not from scientific research but from a marketing campaign developed in Japan in the 1960s?! While accumulating 10,000 steps daily can certainly yield health benefits, the cumulative research demonstrates that a lower step count is highly effective in reducing the risk of chronic disease and premature death. This is good news considering the average American typically gets between 3,000 to 4,000 steps per day, and this varies based on factors such as age, occupation and lifestyle.

A recent meta-analysis found that the optimal step count for reducing all-cause mortality is between 7,000 and 9,000 steps per day. Similarly, another meta-analysis showed that the risk of death steadily decreases with higher step counts but begins leveling off at 6,000–8,000 steps per day in adults over 60 and at 8,000–10,000 steps per day for younger adults. This means that when it comes to reducing the risk of death, more steps are better, but beyond approximately 8,000 steps per day, the additional benefit is smaller.

Beyond reducing mortality risk, daily step counts play a positive role in preventing chronic diseases and improving overall quality of life. There seems to be something significant about 8,000–9,000 steps per day, as reaching this level of movement has been linked to a lower incidence of sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), obesity and major depressive disorder. One study found that every 2,000 steps per day reduces the risk of a cardiovascular event by 10%. This benefit appears to max out at 10,000 daily steps, but it serves as a reminder of the incremental benefits of moving more.

Getting Started: How to Build Up Your Steps

Progress, not perfection! This is all about sustained progress with your step counts and not getting derailed by the inevitable occasional inactive periods in your life.  Regardless of where you are starting with your daily step counts, here’s a way to move more and build up those steps that is feasible, safe and sustainable.

• Step 1: “Activity Awareness” – Start by finding your baseline or starting step level using a pedometer, smartphone app or fitness tracker for an entire week (seven days). A good strategy is to total up your daily steps on all days of the week and then divide this total by seven to get your average steps for the week. Keep in mind that weekdays can be different from weekends, so pay attention to differences in how much you move on each of the seven days.
• Step 2: “Movement Improvement” Goals – This is about setting small, achievable goals. A great way to start is to increase your daily step count by 1,000 steps and sustain this for at least two weeks before you add in more movement. For example, if your baseline is 3,000 steps per day, aim for 4,000 steps daily as your next milestone. Practicing this for two weeks at a time allows your body to adjust and helps establish a sustainable movement habit.

Balancing Moving More in a Way that Works for You

Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make progress in a positive way each day.

• Break Steps into Manageable Chunks: Every 2,000 additional steps (about one mile) is roughly 20–30 more minutes of movement per day. The good news is that you can spread your activity throughout the day with smaller bouts, such as five- to 10-minute increments.
• Increase Your Walking Pace: While all movement is beneficial, brisk walking provides additional health benefits (and steps in less time), particularly when sustained for at least 10 minutes at a time.
• Emphasize Consistency Over Perfection: If you can’t reach your individual step goal every day, don’t be discouraged. Walking any number of steps beyond your usual routine contributes to better health. Tracking your steps helps with your “activity awareness” and is a tool to remind you to move a little more when you can. If you find that you are not making your daily goal consistently, that means that you should pause, reset your baseline level and rebuild your goal from there. Moving more is about serving you and your body in a positive way. Try not to be too hard on yourself whenever your steps fall short – accept it, then let go of it, and plan to move more the next day in a feasible way.

Feasible Ways to Add More Steps to Your Days

Here are some tips to help you move more:

• Take the Stairs: Skip the elevator and take the stairs whenever feasible and possible.
• Park Further Away: Choose a parking spot farther from your destination to sneak in extra steps.
• Turn Waiting Time into Walking Time: If you’re early for an appointment or waiting in line, take a short walk if in a safe environment.
• Walk and Talk: Take phone calls on the move rather than sitting.
• Break Up Sedentary Time: Set an alarm to stand up and walk every hour, even for just a couple of minutes.
• Engage in Active Socializing: Instead of meeting friends for coffee, suggest a walking catch-up.
• Try Indoor Walking: Walk in place while watching TV or during commercials or do short walking workouts indoors.

Staying Safe While Increasing Steps

While increasing step counts is generally safe, some precautions are essential. Proper footwear can reduce foot pain and injury and give your body support. It is also important to pay attention to your surroundings to make sure that you are walking in a safe environment. Lastly, moving more is beneficial, but listening to your body will keep you moving for life. If you are experiencing prolonged discomfort or fatigue, that is a sign to back-off a bit and allow your body some time to recover. If you start to experience pain, consult with your medical provider.

The Bottom Line

Steps can be improved from any baseline level, and health benefits start well below 10,000 steps per day. By incorporating small changes into daily routines and staying consistent, walking can become a powerful tool for long-term health and well-being. Whether your goal is 4,000, 7,000 or 10,000 steps, every step counts toward a healthier you.

About the Authors:

Tim Church, MD, MPH, PhD, serves as the Chief Medical Officer of Wondr Health and as an adjunct professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. An author of more than 260 published clinical articles, he led the development of the Wondr Health curriculum and has a proven track record of helping organizations reduce healthcare costs through disease prevention.

Renee J. Rogers, PhD, FACSM, is an expert in developing healthy lifestyle interventions for obesity treatment with special focus on physical activity and relevant strategies to promote long-term success. She has worked in weight management and physical activity research and programming for more than 20 years and is currently a Senior Scientist at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Beyond the research and of most importance, she is passionate about helping all people develop a healthy relationship with physical activity – one that is feasible, sustainable and enjoyable.

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