The Scientific Research on the Benefits of Taking 10,000 Steps a Day
One of the most recent papers investigating the benefits of daily step counts was published in August 2025 in The Lancet. Its aim? To find any connections between step count and various health outcomes, including all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and more.
The paper included 57 studies in a systematic review and 31 studies in meta-analyses. It concluded that while striving for 10,000 daily steps is unlikely to hurt a person’s long-term health, hitting 7,000 steps — an amount more likely to be achievable for many — was associated with more meaningful clinical improvements.
These findings are relatively consistent with older research findings focused on 10,000 steps. One study published in 2019 found that mortality rates in women 62 to 101 years old grew progressively lower as daily step count increased. However, the benefits tapered at about 7,500 steps per day.
But regardless of your specific step-count goal, it’s important to understand the limitations of a step target for preserving and boosting health.
For starters, there’s simply more to overall health than steps. Lifestyle factors like sleep, stress management, and diet all play a role. Yet these habits and activities may not be reflected in your daily step count.
“Let’s face it: If your diet is atrocious, you have poor stress management, or you’re not sleeping, well, those 10,000 steps won’t be the cure-all you need,” Dr. Arent says.
In addition, there are meaningful types of exercises that, while beneficial, won’t add much to your daily step counts, such as yoga, strength training, rowing, and cycling. This means your step total probably doesn’t provide an accurate picture of your daily movement.
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