You may have heard that walking 10,000 steps is a good daily goal to stay healthy. But experts say that number is not necessarily based on scientific evidence — it originated as a marketing gimmick.
Don’t be mistaken. People who walk 10,000 steps a day are typically healthier than people who don’t walk much at all. But you don’t have to get 10,000 steps to reap the health benefits of walking.
How to get the health benefits of walking
On average, people in the United States walk between 4,000 and 5,000 steps daily. Less than 4,000 steps is considered a low level of activity. If you get less than 2,000 steps daily, your lifestyle is sedentary or inactive.
If you do live a sedentary lifestyle now, you can add steps to your day to improve your health. Start by assessing how much you walk each day and slowly build upon that number. Wearable technology offers a great way to increase your steps and motivation.
If it helps to have a goal in mind, researchers have studied how the steps you take may affect specific health risks and benefits. Here’s how much walking they recommend to get the following health benefits:
Decrease your risk of dying from all causes
Taking just 2,500 steps a day can significantly reduce your risk of dying from all causes. But taking more steps can increase the benefit.
One study reported that people who took 8,000 steps daily were 50% less likely to die (compared to people who got 4,000 steps) during the nine years following the study. How quickly they walked had no impact on the findings.
After a certain number of steps, the risk reduction does level off. Multiple studies suggest that the benefit plateaus at different step levels depending on your age:
- Adults 60 and older: Risk reduction increases until 6,000 to 8,000 steps.
- Adults younger than 60: The benefit plateaus after 8,000 to 10,000 steps.
Manage weight
The amount of weight you lose from walking depends on how much energy you use as you exercise. You either need to walk for longer or at a higher intensity for greater weight loss.
But if you are looking for more specific guidance, researchers found that people who lose more than 10% of their body weight over 18 months walk approximately 10,000 steps a day. They walked at least 3,500 of those steps at moderate-to-vigorous intensity in short, 10-minute bursts.
What does that mean for you? You would need to walk 3 miles per hour (moderate intensity) for approximately 35 minutes daily in 10-minute spurts. Plus, you’d have to get an additional 6,500 steps throughout your day.
Lower your risk of cardiovascular disease
Walking is excellent for your heart. It can decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease and even help prevent a cardiovascular event, such as a stroke or heart failure. To see a benefit, the sweet spot lies between 2,800 and 7,100 steps. Depending on how many steps you take, the benefit can be substantial.
The American Heart Association reports that older adults who take 4,500 steps per day have a 77% lower risk of having an adverse cardiovascular event than people who take fewer than 2,000 steps. Each time you add 500 steps to your daily average, you incrementally lower your risk by 14%. Remember, the benefit plateaus between 6,000 and 8,000 steps.
Prevent dementia
Walking is good for your mind in many ways, and preserving your cognitive function is one of them. The more steps you take each day, the more your dementia risk declines. Once you hit 9,800 steps, the benefit plateaus.
The good news is that you’ll begin seeing significant benefits at just 3,800 steps daily. Getting that many steps consistently may lower your dementia risk by 50% over time.
Protect yourself from chronic disease
Walking is part of a healthy lifestyle, and a healthy lifestyle naturally reduces your risk for chronic diseases. But research specifically shows that higher daily step counts are associated with a lower risk for:
- Diabetes
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Major depressive disorder (MDD)
- Obesity
- Sleep apnea
According to the American Diabetes Association, walking at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week, can significantly lower your risk of Type 2 diabetes. Whether you walk it all at once or split it into smaller walks doesn’t matter. Exercise such as walking increases insulin sensitivity and helps lower your blood sugar.
Ward off depression
A short burst (10 minutes) of brisk walking can increase your energy, mood and mental alertness. But you can also use walking to significantly lower your risk for depression.
According to the American Psychological Association, people who walk at a moderate pace for 75 minutes weekly have an 18% lower depression risk than people who don’t get any physical activity. Walk for 120 minutes weekly to lower your risk by 25%.
For a bonus, take your walk off the beaten path. A one-hour walk in nature (without being on your phone) has a more significant effect on the stress-related regions of your brain than walking in an urban environment.
Does it matter when you walk?
If you can sneak in a walk after meals, it may provide an added boost to your health goals. A 2022 study [KC16] suggests that walking for two minutes after eating has more significant health benefits than sitting or standing after the meal. A short walk can help you manage blood sugar and avoid spikes in blood glucose levels.
Remember, any walking is always better than not walking at all. Whether you do most of your walking at night or only have time to walk on weekends, you’ll still be helping your health.
