Do we really need to take 10,000 steps a day?



Do we really need to do 10,000 steps a day?Credit:Stocksy



Where did 10,000 come from?



Based on accumulated evidence, many physical activity guidelines around the world – including the Australian guidelines – recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a week. This equates to 30 minutes on most days. A half hour of activity corresponds to about 3000 to 4000 dedicated steps at a moderate pace.

In Australia, the average adult accumulates about 7400 steps a day. So an additional 3000 to 4000 steps through dedicated walking will get you to the 10,000 steps target.

One size doesn’t fit all


Setting a lower individual step goal is fine as long as you try to add about 3000 to 4000 steps to your day. This means you will have done your 30 minutes of activity.



Several studies have shown improved health outcomes even in participants who take less than 10,000 steps. An Australian study, for example, found people who took more than 5000 steps a day had a much lower risk of heart disease and stroke than those who took less than 5000 steps.

Another study found that women who did 5000 steps a day had a significantly lower risk of being overweight or having high blood pressure than those who did not.

The more the better


A US study from 2010 found a 10 per cent reduction in the occurrence of metabolic syndrome (a collection of conditions that increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke) for each 1000-step increase per day.

An Australian study from 2015 demonstrated that each 1000-step increase per day reduced the risk of dying prematurely of any cause by 6 per cent, with those taking 10,000 or more steps having a 46 per cent lower risk of early death.


So the bottom line is the more steps, the better.

Step it up




Corneel Vandelanotte is a professorial research fellow at CQUniversity Australia, Kerry Mummery is the dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation at the University of Alberta, Mitch Duncan is an associate professor at the University of Newcastle, and Wendy Brown is a professor of human movement studies at The University of Queensland.


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