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10,000 steps

A popular daily step goal that began as the name of a 1960s Japanese pedometer; later studies find health benefits begin well below it.

What It Means

10,000 steps is a daily walking goal many fitness trackers use as a defaultLoan defaultFailing to repay a loan as the contract requires, usually after missed payments, which lets the lender use stronger ways to collect. See more. Harvard Health Publishing traces it to a pedometer the Japanese company Yamasa sold around 1965 called Manpo-kei, meaning "10,000 steps meter," so the number started as a product name. Large studies published since then, in The Lancet Public Health, link more daily steps to a lower risk of death, with the benefit leveling off below 10,000 for many people.

Try It: Turn Your Steps Into Miles

Enter your steps and your stride. A stride of 30 inches is only an example: walk 10 steps, measure the distance in inches and divide by 10 to find yours.

Miles a day4.73
Where a 15-cohort meta-analysis saw the benefit level off

8,000 to 10,000 steps

7,000 or more. A Lancet Public Health review linked 7,000 steps to a 47% lower risk of death from any cause than 2,000 steps.

How People Say It

  • "I only got 6,000 steps today, I need a walk after dinner."
  • "My watch buzzed, I hit my 10K."
  • "Do I really need 10,000, or is that a made-up number?"

The Breakdown

The formula. Miles = steps × stride length in inches ÷ 63,360 (the number of inches in a mile).

Worked example. With an example stride of 30 inches:

Steps a dayMiles a day
5,000about 2.4
7,000about 3.3
8,000about 3.8
10,000about 4.7

What the research says about the number. A meta-analysis of 15 cohorts in The Lancet Public Health found the risk of death kept falling as steps rose, until about 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day for adults 60 and older and 8,000 to 10,000 for younger adults. A later systematic review in the same journalJournalingWriting down your thoughts and feelings, in a notebook or an app, to understand them more clearly and to see what's behind your stress. See more found the curve bending at about 5,000 to 7,000 steps, and linked 7,000 steps a day to a 47% lower risk of death from any cause than 2,000. These are observational studies, which show links between steps and health rather than proof that steps alone cause the difference.

Where It Comes From

Harvard Health Publishing traces the number to Japan in the 1960s. Around 1965, shortly after the Tokyo Olympics, the company Yamasa launched a pedometer called Manpo-kei, which translates as "10,000 steps meter." The name was a marketing tool, backed by the slogan "Let's walk 10,000 steps a day."

Good to Know

CDC's guidance for adults is set in minutes. CDC, drawing on the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, advises adults to get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week plus muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days. A step count is one easy way to keep track of the walking part. If you have a heart, lung or joint condition, or haven't been active for a while, check with your doctor before raising your daily target a lot.

FAQ

How many miles is 10,000 steps?

It depends on your stride. With a 30-inch stride, 10,000 steps is about 4.7 miles; measure your own stride by walking 10 steps and dividing the distance by 10.

Is 10,000 steps a day a scientific number?

It began as the name of a 1960s Japanese pedometer, Manpo-kei, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Later studies in The Lancet Public Health found benefitsBenefits packageEverything an employer offers on top of wages, such as health insurance, paid leave and a retirement plan, which can be worth thousands of dollars a year. See more building well below it, leveling off at about 6,000 to 10,000 steps depending on age.

How many steps a day is enough?

No single official number exists in the guidance on this page. A Lancet Public Health review found the curve bending at about 5,000 to 7,000 steps, and CDC's guidance is 150 minutes of moderate activity a week plus strength work on 2 days.

Do It in Buhata

Body and Habit streaks (Plus)

Log your daily walks in Body in Buhata, and add a walk to Habit streaks (Plus) so the days you move show up as a streak.

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Related Terms and Categories

  • Movement snack

    A short burst of activity, often under a minute, such as a quick climb up a few flights of stairs, repeated a few times through the day; researchers call it an exercise snack.

  • Screen time for adults

    The hours an adult spends looking at phones, computers, TVs and other screens, for work and for leisure, counted across a day or a week.

  • Afternoon slump

    The dip in energy and focus many people feel in the early to mid afternoon, linked to the body's daily hormone rhythm and to what and how much was eaten at lunch.

  • Habit tracker

    A simple record, on paper or in an app, where you mark each day you do a habit so you can see your progress at a glance.

  • Water intake

    The total water you take in each day from plain water, other drinks and food; the National Academies' adequate intake is 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 for women.

Wellbeing and habits

Sources

Harvard Health Publishing, "10,000 steps a day, or fewer?"; "Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts," The Lancet Public Health; "Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis," The Lancet Public Health; CDC, "Adult Activity: An Overview" (Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans)

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