Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAverage Steps per DayJobs That Take More StepsEffects of AgeIncreasing Your Step Count
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Average Steps per Day
Jobs That Take More Steps
Effects of Age
Increasing Your Step Count
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.
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A Note on Gender and Sex TerminologyVerywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare 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.
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare 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 peopledon’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 that10,000 steps per daydoesn’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.
Recommended Steps per DayHow 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 dayAdults between 18 and 59: 8,000 steps per dayAdults over 60: 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day
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 dayAdults between 18 and 59: 8,000 steps per dayAdults over 60: 6,000 to 8,000 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:
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 andlongevity. However, the general guidelines for recommended steps per day for adults will apply to all sexes.
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 reducedwaist circumferenceof 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 moretime people spend sitting, the higher their waist circumference andcholesterol levelsare. People in this study who hadmetabolic syndrometook fewer steps.
Metabolic syndrome is defined as having a combination of conditions, includinghigh 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 workdaystandingor walking as opposed to sitting:
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-supportedphysical activity decreasesand then ends.
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 forwalkingorrunningdaily.
Some ideas include;
Calories Per 10,000 StepsThenumber of caloriesany particular person burns during activity depends on anumber of factors, including age, weight, muscle mass, how manysteps 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 orwalk fasterwill burn more calories.
Calories Per 10,000 Steps
Thenumber of caloriesany particular person burns during activity depends on anumber of factors, including age, weight, muscle mass, how manysteps 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 orwalk fasterwill burn more calories.
Thenumber of caloriesany particular person burns during activity depends on anumber of factors, including age, weight, muscle mass, how manysteps 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 orwalk fasterwill 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 instrength trainingwhen 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 toavoid inactivitywhenever 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.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institutes of Health.How many steps for better health?
Paluch AE, Bajpai S, Bassett DR, et al.Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts.Lancet Public Health. 2022;7:e219-e228. doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00302-9
Banach M, Lewek J, Surma S, et al.The association between daily step count and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: a meta-analysis. 2023;30:2045.Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2023;30:1975-1985. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwad229
Saint-Maurice PF, Troiano RP, Bassett DR, et al.Association of daily step count and step intensity with mortality among US adults.JAMA. 2020;323:1151-1160. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.1382.
Lee IM, Shiroma EJ, Kamada M, Bassett DR, Matthews CE, Buring JE.Association of step volume and intensity with all-cause mortality in older women.JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179:1105-1112. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0899
Tudor-Locke C, Craig CL, Brown WJ, et al.How many steps/day are enough? for adults.Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2011;8:79. doi:10.1186/1479-5868-8-79 (note: this is a foundational study)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Physical activity facts.
Silva MP, Fontana FE, Callahan E, Mazzardo O, De Campos W.Step-count guidelines for children and adolescents: a systematic review.J Phys Act Health. 2015;12:1184-1191. doi:10.1123/jpah.2014-0202
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Physical activity for children: an overview.
Tigbe WW, Granat MH, Sattar N, Lean MEJ.Time spent in sedentary posture is associated with waist circumference and cardiovascular risk.Int J Obes (Lond). 2017;41:689-696. doi:10.1038/ijo.2017.30
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Metabolic syndrome.
Bureau of Labor Statistics.Standing or walking versus sitting on the job in 2016.
Tudor-Locke C, Craig CL, Beets MW, et al.How many steps/day are enough? for children and adolescents.Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2011;8:78. doi:10.1186/1479-5868-8-78 (Note, this is a foundational study)
Department of Health and Human Services.Physical activity guidelines for americans, 2nd edition.
Compendium of Physical Activities.Walking.
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