For general fitness, most adults should aim for 8,000-10,000 steps per day. However, the number of steps a person walks on average will depend on a person’s age, current fitness level, and health goals.
This recommendation comes from a
Walking is an effective form of low impact exercise that can help people improve or maintain their physical fitness.
In this article, we look in more detail at how many steps people should take each day for:
- general health
- weight loss
- physical strength
We also look at the requirements for different age groups and sexes and explain how to take more steps each day.
Walking is a form of low impact, moderate-intensity exercise that has a range of health benefits and few risks. As a result, the CDC recommends that most adults aim for
Most people in the United States only take
As doctors generally consider fewer than 5,000 steps per day to be sedentary, this means that many people in the U.S. are not getting as many steps as they should to benefit their health.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, walking can improve:
- muscle strength
- range of motion
- blood flow
- flexibility
- joint stiffness
- mood and sleep
- breathing
Walking can also help improve or prevent certain health conditions, such as obesity, osteoporosis, and age-related memory loss.
The benefits of walking appear to increase with step count.A
The number of steps to take for weight loss can vary depending on an individual’s current weight, food intake, and target weight. However, 10,000 steps is a good goal for most people.
Some evidence suggests that exercise intensity is also important for weight loss.
According to a
If a person wishes to use walking as a way to improve their strength, flexibility, or stamina, they may also benefit from more intense forms of walking.
For example, walking uphill
Other ways to get more cardiovascular benefits from walking and boost muscle strength include:
- climbing stairs
- stepping up and down on a stool
- walking briskly for sustained periods
- focusing on objects in the distance, which can increase walking speed by up to 23%
- wearing weighted wrist or ankle straps
- Nordic walking, which involves the use of poles to work out the upper and lower body
According to the
There is no conclusive evidence that natal sex affects the number of steps that a person should take. Therefore, 10,000 steps per day is a suitable goal for males and females.
Brisk walking is also a safe exercise during pregnancy. The CDC recommends that pregnant people get
Most adults require a similar level of physical activity for optimum health. However,
3–5 years
The CDC recommends that children who are 3–5 years old remain physically active throughout the day. It is unclear how many steps this translates into, but for most children, it means engaging in active play every day.
6–17 years
The CDC states that children and adolescents who are 6–17 years old should get at least 60 minutes of aerobic and strengthening exercise per day. A 2012 study estimated that this is equivalent to 11,290–12,512 steps.
Therefore, 12,000 steps may be a helpful goal for people in this age group. However, to meet the CDC recommendations, at least 1 hour of this activity would need to be of moderate to vigorous intensity.
Older adults
As mentioned above, a
In this study, the more steps people took, the lower the mortality rate. For adults 60 and older, the risk of premature death leveled off at about 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day. This finding suggests that a goal of roughly 7,000 steps may be sufficient for older adults to see significant benefits from walking.
However, the authors note that this study was observational so it can’t prove cause and effect. Also, most of the participants were white volunteers from high-income countries. As a result, the findings may not be widely applicable.
Getting more steps can be a challenge, particularly for people who need more time or face other barriers that prevent them from walking more frequently.
However, there are plenty of ways to include more steps in everyday life,
- taking the stairs instead of using elevators or escalators
- going for walks during lunch breaks, while meeting with friends, or while talking on the phone
- using restrooms or meeting rooms that are further away within an office building
- taking breaks from working, watching TV, or reading to do something active
- trying new ways to get more steps, such as dancing or hiking
- parking further away than usual from stores or other destinations
- getting off public transport a stop early and walking the rest of the way
- walking to or from work, if possible
Some research shows that monitoring step count
It is important to warm up before exercise and cool down afterward
Is 5000 steps a day enough?
Generally speaking, walking fewer than 5,000 steps per day is considered sedentary. Being sedentary is linked to various health issues, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.
Can a person lose weight by walking 10,000 steps a day?
Yes, walking 10,000 steps a day can aid with weight loss, as it exceeds the
How many miles is 10,000 steps?
For most people, 10,000 steps is the equivalent of about 8 kilometers, which is just under
Current guidelines suggest that most adults should aim for about 8,000-10,000 steps per day. People with specific goals, such as weight loss or muscle strengthening, may benefit from increasing the intensity of walking.
The benefits of walking appear to increase in line with physical activity. Older children and teenagers can aim for close to 12,000 steps, while those who are older or unable to walk for long can still benefit from lower step counts.