10,000 steps a day is a myth. What Science Really Says

news hardware 10,000 steps a day is a myth. What Science Really Says

The origin of the myth of 10,000 steps a day

Manufacturers of connected watches and bracelets have been highlighting this number for years. Apparently we absolutely have to take 10,000 steps in 24 hours to be fit. You got it… it’s wrong.

The subject of daily physical exertion, which is necessary for the proper functioning of our body, is, as you can imagine, sufficiently studied in the scientific community. Much research does not confirm the 10,000-step legend.

Since this is purely an invention, the question of its origin is justified. Where does the legend come from? Who invented this story of 10,000 daily steps?

To get the answer to that question, we have to go back 57 years, to 1965. That year, a Japanese company markets a pedometer called Manpo-kei. These 3 syllables can be translated as “10,000 meter steps”.

Why choose 10,000? It’s marketing. Just because it sounds good. But also because the kanji (letter of the Japanese alphabet) is written to write the number 10,000 ten thousand. If you look at it with narrowed eyes this kanji looks like a walking man. If you are not Japanese, it is impossible to understand this trick.

Yes, almost the whole planet is convinced that it is necessary to walk 10,000 steps a day to stay in good physical shape… due to a pun by a Japanese communications executive.

Today almost all consumer health apps and devices (like smartwatches) use these 10,000 steps as a benchmark. Luckily, it’s almost always possible to customize your goals yourself!

If not 10,000, how many steps do you need to walk a day to be healthy?

It’s been a while since science debunked this popular fake news. For example, we found a study that was published recently JAMA. You can find it under the name of “Steps per day and all-cause mortality in middle-aged adults in the study of developing coronary artery risk in young adults”.

This study evokes a figure of 8000 daily steps for a fit adult. According to the researchers, this is the optimal number of steps.

You can of course have more fun. But it seems that beyond 8000 steps the benefits become more and more modest. Here’s a pretty telling graphic.

A single research paper is stronger than an urban legend, but it’s not ideal. Maximum reliability in terms of reliability, that’s what we call a meta-analysis.

The principle of meta-analysis is to bring together the results of several studies on the same topic, carried out using different methods, over different periods of time and in different countries.

For our topic of the day, we found a meta-analysis of 15 studies conducted worldwide over twenty years. It can be found on the website The lancet and is called “Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts”. Overall, the behavior of more than 47,000 adults was analyzed by scientists.

Here, too, the result is clear:

• If you are over 60, walking about 7000 steps can save your life.

That last sentence may shock you, but it’s true. Meta-analysis shows that older people who take 3,000 to 7,000 steps a day reduce their risk of death by 50%

• If you’re under 60, you need to walk about 8,000 steps a day to be in top shape. Surprise: walking to 10,000 daily steps even has an effect harmful on life expectancy.

What does the WHO say about the number of steps you need to take each day to be fit?

Let’s finish with the recommendations of the World Health Organization. A priori there is nothing more reliable … You may be disappointed.

For the WHO, the number of steps you walk each day is not an important measure. Instead, the organization recommends a certain level of physical activity every day. This duration varies according to age.

For adults aged 18 to 64, which you certainly are, the WHO recommends moderate physical activity of at least 150 to 300 minutes per week (e.g. from 2.30 to 5 hours of walking) or vigorous physical activity of between 75 and 150 minutes per week.

According to the WHO, you can easily exceed these minimum recommendations. On the other hand, The more you train, the better.

Note that the World Health Organization recommendations are weekly, not daily. That said, if you decide to laze around for a day or two, it’s no big deal to make up for that lazy day later.

Finally, remember that while it is undeniable that exercise is essential to maintaining good health, each person is a unique being. These numbers are a reference to remember, but don’t let them discourage you.

In all these recommendations, everyone will find the shoe that suits them. All you have to do is take a few steps at your own pace.