People use steps as an easy-to-understand measurement of physical activity. Is it important and effective to aim for 10,000 steps per day as a measure of getting enough activity? The answer is that it depends. Factors such as age, sex, and occupation may influence the best step count for better health.
Most Americans take between 4,000 and 5,000 steps per day, which is usually insufficient. Studies show that, in general, adults under age 60 should aim for 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day, and those older than age 60 should aim for 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day.
This article will cover some overall guidelines about the number of steps recommended by sex and age to maintain health and reduce mortality risk.
SolStock / Getty Images
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges that sex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
Average Steps per Day for Adults
Worldwide, about 28% of people don’t get enough physical activity. Overall, 32% of women don’t achieve the recommended physical activity goal, while 23% of men fail to achieve it.
To determine the best step goal for most people, a meta-analysis of 15 studies published from 1999 to 2018 of 47,000 adults was performed. The researchers examined how the number of steps people take affected their disease risk and lifespan.
They found that 10,000 steps per day doesn’t always mean people are healthier. There is a point at which the number of steps taken per day levels off when it comes to improving health. Taking more than a certain range of steps per day doesn’t lower the risk of disease or death.
For adults younger than 60, 8,000 and 10,000 steps per day were associated with a decreased risk of death. For adults older than 60, 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day achieved a lowered risk of mortality.
Another observational meta-analysis followed the activity levels of almost 230,000 people across 17 studies. This study looked at the risk of death by heart disease (cardiovascular disease). Taking at least 2,300 steps per day lowered the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Additional steps lower risk. For every 500 more average steps per day, the risk was lowered by another 7%. For every 1,000 more average steps a day, the risk was lowered by another 15%. Walking at least 3,900 steps per day was associated with a lower risk of death from any cause.
Recommended Steps per Day
How many daily steps a person may want to take will depend on their health goals. One set of recommendations for better health for children and adults is:
- Teens and children: A minimum of 9,000 steps per day
- Adults between 18 and 59: 8,000 steps per day
- Adults over 60: 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day
Average Steps per Day for Women
For adult females between 18 and 59 years, a meta-analysis of 15 studies showed that walking between 6,000 and 8,000 steps a day has the greatest effect on lowering the risk of disease and reducing the risk of death. Walking more than this is also fine, but the study didn’t show that it lowered risks further.
Another study of 17,000 women 45 years of age and older looked at how daily steps related to death from any cause. The mean age in this study was 72. It showed that women who took 4,400 steps per day were much less likely to die from any cause than those who took 2,700 steps per day.
The study showed that up to 7,500 steps per day is associated with a lower death rate, but increasing steps beyond that does not reduce the risk of mortality.
Average Steps per Day for Men
There is less data about men than women regarding how a daily step count affects health and longevity. However, the general guidelines for recommended steps per day for adults will apply to all sexes.
One older study broke out some information about steps by sex. This large analysis examined 837 articles about step data in adults between ages 20 and 65. It showed that men who took 12,500 steps per day had a 50% reduced prevalence of depression compared to men who took fewer than 5,000 steps per day.
The same study showed that for men already taking an average of 2,000 steps per day, adding another 2,000 steps was associated with a reduced waist circumference of 1 inch (2.8 centimeters).
Average Steps per Day for Children
In general, most children do not get enough physical activity every day. Kids need twice the activity as adults. Just as it’s difficult to define the “right” or most optimal steps per day for adults, it is also challenging to determine it for children.
However, one systematic review determined that between ages 5 and 19, children and teenagers should get 12,000 steps per day.
Another metric is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recommends 60 minutes of activity per day for children and teens between the ages of 6 and 17 but does not specify a step count.
Which Jobs Provide More Steps per Day?
Some paid or volunteer occupations lend themselves to higher step counts during work.
One study compared office workers with delivery workers. All wore pedometers to measure their daily step counts. The more time people spend sitting, the higher their waist circumference and cholesterol levels are. People in this study who had metabolic syndrome took fewer steps.
Metabolic syndrome is defined as having a combination of conditions, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, abnormal levels of cholesterol and fat in the blood, and excess abdominal fat. Metabolic syndrome raises the risk of heart disease. type 2 diabetes, and stroke.
A 2016 Bureau of Labor Statistics report noted people in these occupations spend most of their workday standing or walking as opposed to sitting:
- Wait staff: 96%
- Welders, cutters, and welder fitters: 90%
- Retail salespeople: 89%
- Electricians: 88%
- Pharmacists: 78%
- Elementary school teachers: 75%
- Physical therapists: 73%
- Childcare workers: 68%
How Aging Affects Average Daily Step Count
People tend to take fewer steps as they age. Children engage in more active play, both at home and in school, and take more steps while doing so. Teens tend to take fewer steps as they approach adulthood and as school-supported physical activity decreases and then ends.
According to some older studies, the average amount of steps people take per day by age and sex are:
- Boys: 12,000 to 16,000
- Girls: 10,000 to 13,000
- Adolescents up to age 18 years: 8,000 to 9,000
- Adults: 6,500
How to Increase Your Average Step Count
You can increase your activity in ways that are convenient to your lifestyle. People may find it challenging to get in 10,000 steps per day. Focusing on getting in enough steps may mean being creative and making time for walking or running daily.
Some ideas include;
- Cut back on social media: Many people spend about two hours on social media daily, which could be spent walking (or doing both at the same time if using a treadmill).
- Engage with a group: Combining a social activity with a physical one can help you meet goals. Look for ways to join a physical activity or sport with a faith-based, community, or charitable group.
- Find some motivation: Meeting a friend to walk with or listening to upbeat music while on the treadmill are two ways to help you find the motivation to get the steps in each day.
- Make personal goals: Set some goals for increasing activity during the day or week. A simple goal can be taking a walk three or more days a week. A more ambitious goal could be training for a charity walk or run.
- Set a schedule: Marking off time each day can help you get enough steps or meet other fitness goals.
- Take multiple walk breaks: The recommended 30 minutes of activity a day need not be done all at once but rather could be done in increments throughout the day.
- Think about multitasking: Walking or biking to work or school or while running errands is a way to accomplish a task while incorporating physical activity.
- Try activities other than walking: Steps can be acquired in ways other than walking, such as running, walking up steps, and dancing. Keeping track of steps can help people increase their activity levels, especially when they also set goals.
- Walk a dog: Walking your dog or offering to walk a dog for a friend can help you take more daily steps.
Calories Per 10,000 Steps
The number of calories any particular person burns during activity depends on a number of factors, including age, weight, muscle mass, how many steps a person takes per mile, and if walking is done at a slow, moderate, or vigorous pace.
In general, a person who weighs 160 pounds walking at a moderate pace of 2.5 miles per hour will burn about 200 calories per hour. It may take 2 to 3 hours to walk 10,000 steps at this pace, burning between 400 and 600 calories. People who weigh more or walk faster will burn more calories.
Disabilities and Chronic Illness
People who live with a disability from trauma, birth, or chronic illness also benefit from becoming more active. However, it may take more effort, creativity, and thought, especially for those with reduced mobility. People who live with a health condition should consult their healthcare providers when starting or making changes to activity levels.
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that people who live with a disability engage in strength training when possible. Doing an activity that involves all the major muscle groups at least two days a week may have health benefits. In addition, at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise is also advised, and even more time and greater intensity, when possible.
Asking others to help in meeting activity goals may be the key to achieving them. Friends, family, community members, and other care partners are often ready and willing to help if they’re given instructions on how to do so.
The goal is to avoid inactivity whenever possible. While this might not always be realistic or feasible, people who live with a disability benefit from physical activity as much as anyone else does.
Summary
Most people do not get enough physical activity, no matter their age. Taking 10,000 steps per day is a common target, but it doesn’t always translate into improved health outcomes.
Studies that have focused on specific outcomes related to steps taken per day show that health benefits level off before reaching 10,000 steps. However, people should generally increase their daily step totals if they take fewer than 7,500 steps.
