How much do you really need to walk in a day? The benefits you get at every step count

Step aside, outdated exercise goals. 

For years, 10,000 steps has been promoted by fitness trackers, health apps and medical professionals as the gold standard for daily physical activity.

But if that so-called magic number feels more intimidating than inspiring, rest assured: It’s a product of marketing, not science, and there are key benefits you get at a lot of lower step counts, too.

The 10,000-step rule isn’t as golden as it seems. Evgeniya Primavera – stock.adobe.com

The lofty target’s origins can be traced to a 1960s advertising campaign for a Japanese pedometer called the manpo-kei, which translates to “10,000 steps meter.”

Chosen for its simplicity and memorability, the number was meant to encourage people to increase their daily activity levels. While walking more is linked to better health outcomes, there is no definitive evidence that 10,000 steps is the optimal daily target for everyone.

In fact, a growing body of research suggests that many of the benefits of walking can be achieved with far fewer steps. Here’s how each benchmark can contribute to your well-being.

2,300 steps: Stronger heart and blood vessels

An analysis involving over 226,000 participants around the globe found that the more you pound the pavement, the greater the health benefits. 

However, the study showed that even a modest amount of walking — about a mile a day, or just over 2,300 steps — can strengthen your heart and blood vessels.

3,800 steps: Lower dementia risk

At this level, your brain starts to get a boost. 

A 2022 study of 78,000 healthy adults found that those who walked an average of 3,800 steps per day had a 25% lower risk of developing dementia over a seven-year follow-up period compared with more sedentary participants.

The more you move, the greater benefits you’ll see. M Einero/peopleimages.com – stock.adobe.com

Those who walked at higher intensity — at least 40 steps per minute — cut their risk even further. 

4,500 steps: Major decrease in heart issues

Older adults who take around 4,500 steps per day have a 77% lower risk of experiencing a major cardiovascular event compared with those who take fewer than 2,000 steps, according to the American Heart Association.

Want to boost the benefit? With each additional 500 steps per day, you can further reduce your risk by about 14%.

6,000 to 9,000 steps: Less likely to die — and a whole lot more

A 2023 study found that adults ages 60 and older who walked between 6,000 and 9,000 steps per day had a 40% to 50% lower risk of cardiovascular disease — including heart attack and stroke — compared with those who averaged just 2,000 steps.

“This is encouraging news for older adults who might not be physically able to reach 10,000 steps a day,” Dr. Mercedes Carnethon, vice chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and co-author of the study, said in a statement.

At just 7,000 steps a day, research suggests you can lower your risk of several health issues, including death from any cause (47% reduction), cardiovascular disease (25%), cancer (6%), Type 2 diabetes (14%), dementia (38%), depression (22%) and falls (28%).

That’s roughly 3.5 miles, which can be completed in approximately an hour when walking at a somewhat brisk pace.

“We should set up a point of the day where we are actively out there exercising, where we put time in,” Dr. Theodore Strange, chairman of medicine at Staten Island University Hospital, who was not involved with the study, previously told The Post.

“Exercise has to become a lifestyle. It has to be part of your day.”