Do you really need 10,000 steps a day?

If you have ever worn a fitness tracker, you have probably seen the same magic number: 10,000 steps.

It sounds neat, but it is not a law of biology. The original 10,000 step idea appears to have originally come from a 1960s Japanese marketing campaign for a pedometer, not from a specific study. Over time, it has become a cultural benchmark for being “active”, even though the science is more nuanced.

The good news is that the research is actually more encouraging than the slogan. You do not need to be perfect. You do not have to live in the gym. And you certainly do not need to walk around the world.

What matters most is moving more than you do now, most days of the week.

In this article, we will look at what walking does to your body, how many steps you really need, why your environment matters, and how to build a realistic walking habit that supports your long-term health.

What walking actually does to your body

Walking feels simple, but it is surprisingly demanding for your body in the best possible way.

Short-term effects:

Even a single walk can make a difference. Within minutes of setting off:

• Your heart rate and breathing increase to deliver more oxygen to working muscles.
• Blood vessels widen, helping circulation.
• Your brain releases signalling chemicals such as endorphins that can improve mood and ease feelings of stress and anxiety.

For many people, a gentle 10–20 minute walk is enough to feel calmer, more focused and less “wired” after a long day.

Long-term effects:

When you walk regularly, your body starts to adapt:

• Cardiovascular system – The small blood vessels around your muscles remodel so they can deliver more oxygen. Your heart gets more efficient at pumping blood, which over time can help lower blood pressure and resting heart rate.
• Metabolic health – Muscles use blood sugar and fats for fuel. Regular walking helps improve insulin sensitivity and is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• Bones and joints – Each step puts a small, controlled load through your bones and joints. This mechanical stress signals bone cells to maintain or increase bone density and helps keep joints moving comfortably when combined with appropriate strength work.
• Brain and mood – Walking increases blood flow to the brain and is linked with better cognitive function, reduced risk of cognitive decline and improved mood.

Think of walking as low friction, whole body maintenance. It is not flashy, but it touches almost every system that keeps you well.

How many steps a day do you really need?

Recent research has done a much better job of examining step counts and health outcomes. A large systematic review published in 2025 pulled together data from dozens of cohort studies and found a clear pattern: more daily steps are linked with lower risks of early death, cardiovascular disease, several cancers and dementia. 

However, the benefits do not suddenly appear at 10,000 steps. They build gradually as you add more movement.

The “sweet spot” around 7,000 steps

• In one study of over 2,000 middle-aged adults followed for roughly 11 years, people who took at least 7,000 steps a day had a 50–70 percent lower risk of dying during the study period compared with those averaging fewer steps.
• A broad review of data from more than 50 studies in multiple countries found that walking about 7,000 steps a day reduced risk of death by roughly 47 percent compared with much lower step counts, with only small additional gains when people reached 10,000 steps.

In other words, 7,000 steps seems to get you most of the benefit, and you do not lose out if some days are lower and others are higher.

What about higher step counts?

Other work from large cohorts has shown a dose–response pattern: moving from around 4,000 to 8,000, 10,000 or 12,000 steps is associated with progressively lower mortality risk, although the curve flattens as you reach higher numbers.

In this JAMA analysis, people taking 12,000 steps a day had a substantially lower risk of death than those taking 4,000, but the step intensity (how fast they walked) was less important than the total number of steps.

This does not mean everyone must aim for 12,000 steps. It simply reinforces that for those who enjoy higher volumes of walking and can manage them safely, there may be extra benefits.

The most important thing you can do is shift from very low to somewhat active

If you are currently quite sedentary, ie, you work from home (many a rainy & dark winter day, I used to only walk between my kitchen and desk), the biggest health gains come from the first jump in activity level.

Recent summaries of the evidence suggest that going from very low step counts to roughly 3,000–5,000 steps a day can improve blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors, with further gains as you approach 7,000 steps. 

From a practical point of view, that might mean:

• Adding one or two 10–15 minute walks to your day.
• Parking further away, getting off the bus a stop earlier or taking more stairs.
• Building a weekend routine that naturally includes more time on your feet.

Even if you never touch 10,000 steps, these changes still matter.

Does walking need to be brisk to count?

Any movement is better than none. That said, pace does seem to matter, especially for heart health.

Brisk walking is typically defined as a pace where:

• You can still talk in full sentences.
• You would struggle to sing.
• Your breathing and heart rate are noticeably higher than at rest.

A growing body of research links brisk walking with improvements in blood pressure, fitness and cardiovascular risk:

• A 2024 review reported that brisk walking programmes can significantly reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension (high blood pressure) and recommended community-based walking as a practical intervention.
• Observational data suggest that people who walk further and at a faster pace have lower risks of heart attack, heart failure and stroke.

For most healthy adults, a good target is to include some brisk walking in your weekly routine, building gradually.

Is intensity more important than step count?

Step intensity does matter for fitness, but when it comes to mortality risk specifically, total step count appears to be the stronger boost for your health, according to several large accelerometer studies.

That is good news if you are just starting. Focus first on moving more overall. You can always nudge the pace up later as your confidence grows.

Walking for weight management and metabolic health

Walking is not a magic weight loss tool, but it can play a helpful role in managing body weight and metabolic health when combined with an appropriate diet and, ideally, some strength training.

Regular walking:

• Increases daily energy expenditure.
• Helps improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation.
• Supports healthy blood lipid profiles and blood pressure.

It is worth noting that weight change can be slow and influenced by many factors beyond activity. Even if the scales are not shifting quickly, your cardiovascular and metabolic systems may still be benefiting from consistent walking.

Walking for bone health, joints and longevity

Weight-bearing activities like walking are especially valuable as we get older:

• Walking places controlled stress through the skeleton, helping to maintain bone density and reduce the typical age-related decline.
• Keeping joints moving with low-impact activity supports joint lubrication and can help many people with stiffness, provided any pain is well managed.

Across multiple cohorts, higher daily step counts are consistently associated with lower risks of early death from any cause. A recent meta analysis of 15 cohort studies concluded that mortality risk falls as step counts rise, up to an age dependent plateau, with significant benefits even in older adults. 

Again, the pattern is clear: regular walking is strongly linked with healthier ageing and longer life.

Walking, mood and mental health

The benefits of walking go beyond heart and bones. For many people, it is as much a mental health practice as a physical one. Research suggests that regular walking is associated with:

• Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• Better cognitive function and lower risk of cognitive decline.
• Improved overall wellbeing and life satisfaction.

Even short walks can act as a “reset” when you are overwhelmed or stuck at a desk. Walking outdoors, especially in green spaces, appears to be particularly helpful for mood for many people. (Anytime I have a frustrating or stressful meeting, I always go for a walk afterwards & it dramatically shifts my mindset and mood)

Why your environment matters: walkability, loneliness and climate

It is easy to say “just walk more”. In reality, not everyone has equal access to safe, pleasant places to walk.

Walkable neighbourhoods and wellbeing

Studies in dense cities such as Hong Kong have shown that older adults who perceive their neighbourhoods as more walkable tend to walk more, feel less lonely and report higher life satisfaction than those in less walkable areas. 

Walkable environments often include continuous, well-maintained pavements, safe road crossings, traffic calming, easy access to shops, services and green spaces on foot. Typically, older cities (back when walking was everybody’s main mode of transport!) offer far more walkable environments than modern, sprawling cities where the main priority has been road design

However, that doesn’t mean its impossible in today’s world. Urban greenways are one example of infrastructure that supports walking and cycling. In Vancouver, for instance, residents living near the Comox–Helmcken Greenway reduced their daily car or bus travel and cut personal greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 20% after it was built.

From a public health perspective, investing in walkable design is one of the most powerful ways to support movement at scale.

How to build a realistic walking habit

At Supp, we are big believers in habits that fit real life. Here are practical ways to put the science into action.

1. Start from where you are

If you already track your steps, look at your current weekly average. If not, spend a couple of days just monitoring without changing anything.

Then set a very modest target, such as:

• Adding 1,000 extra steps a day.
• Or adding one 10 minute walk on three days this week.

Stick with that for a week or two before you increase it.

2. Aim for consistency, not perfection

The research suggests you do not need to hit a specific step count every single day. One 2023 analysis even found that getting to around 8,000 steps on just a few days of the week was still associated with lower mortality risk. 

Think in terms of weekly movement. For most adults, a realistic medium-term goal is:

• Around 2 hours of moderate walking per week, spread over most days.
• Gradually building towards an average of around 7,000 steps a day, if that feels accessible and safe for you.

3. Use small anchors in your day

Instead of relying on willpower, tie walking to things you already do:

• A short walk after breakfast or lunch.
• Getting off public transport one stop earlier.
• A loop around the block when you finish work.
• A regular weekend walk with a friend or family member.

These “anchors” make walking predictable, which helps it stick.

4. Mix up the environment

Variety can keep walking enjoyable:

• Alternate between city streets, parks and nature trails where possible.
• Try walking meetings or phone calls if your schedule is packed.
• Explore new routes in your local area so it does not become repetitive.

5. Build up pace gradually

Once you are comfortable with your basic step count, you can gently increase the intensity:

• Add a few short sections of brisk walking into your usual route.
• Use landmarks (trees, lampposts, corners) to create intervals.
• Notice how your breathing and heart rate feel, and stay within a manageable effort level.

If you are new to exercise or have underlying health conditions, check in with a health professional before making big changes.

The bottom line

You do not need to chase a perfect 10,000 step streak to look after your health.

The evidence points to a simple message:

• Move more than you do now.
• Aim for a consistent habit most days of the week.
• Build gradually towards roughly 7,000 steps a day and some brisk walking, if that works for your body and your life.

From there, higher step counts are a bonus, not an obligation.

At Supp, our focus is on honest, evidence-led guidance that helps you build foundations for long-term health. Walking is one of those foundations: accessible, adaptable and super powerful.

References

1. 8 Benefits of Walking Every Day – Verywell Health
2. Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis – The Lancet
3. Rethink the 10,000 a day step goal, study suggests – The University Of Sydney
4. Association of Daily Step Count and Step Intensity With Mortality Among US Adults – JAMA
5. Keep walking: Study finds higher daily step count helps adults live longer – US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
6. Dose-response association between the daily step count and all-cause mortality – Yujia Liu
7. Brisk Walking Exercise Has Benefits of Lowering Blood Pressure in Hypertension Sufferers – Rehmaita Malem
8. Urban greenways can reduce neighbourhood carbon emissions – University Of British Columbia

(Where we refer to specific conditions or outcomes, we are describing research findings, not promising individual results.)

This article is for general information purposes and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Always consult your GP before starting or changing your exercise routine if you have existing health conditions or take medication.