Last updated: November 15, 2026
How many steps a day do you need? Most adults get major health benefits at about 7,000 to 8,000 steps a day, and benefits level off around 8,000 to 10,000 steps for adults under 60 and 6,000 to 8,000 steps for adults 60 and older. The popular 10,000-step goal is fine, but it is not a minimum.
This guide covers what the research says about steps per day, targets by age, sedentary and active levels, and how to add steps safely.
Contents
- How many steps a day should you take?
- How many steps a day by age
- How many steps a day is sedentary, active or highly active?
- Is 10,000 steps a day necessary?
- How do steps per day compare with the 150-minute guideline?
- How to get more steps a day
- Frequently asked questions
How many steps a day should you take?
There is no single official step target in the United States. Instead, large studies that tracked people wearing step counters show how health risks change as daily steps rise:
- 7,000 steps a day: A 2025 meta-analysis of 57 studies found that, compared with 2,000 steps a day, 7,000 steps was associated with a 47% lower risk of death from any cause, a 25% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a 38% lower risk of dementia and a 22% lower risk of depressive symptoms (Ding et al., Lancet Public Health, 2025).
- 8,000 steps a day: In a study of 4,840 U.S. adults aged 40 and older, people who took 8,000 steps a day had a 50% lower risk of dying during about a decade of follow-up than people who took 4,000 steps (NIH).
- 12,000 steps a day: The same study found a 65% lower risk compared with 4,000 steps a day (NIH).
The 2025 authors concluded that 10,000 steps can still be a good target for people who are already active, but 7,000 steps a day “might be a more realistic and achievable target for some.” These studies show associations, not proof of cause.
Does walking speed matter?
Less than total steps. In the NIH-funded study, step intensity did not change the risk of death once the total number of steps per day was taken into account (NIH). If you want your walk to count as moderate exercise, about 100 steps per minute is a reasonable floor for moderate-intensity walking (Tudor-Locke et al., 2011). Our guide on whether walking counts as cardio covers intensity in more detail.
How many steps a day by age
A 2022 meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts with 47,471 adults found that the benefit of extra steps levels off at different points by age (Paluch et al., Lancet Public Health, 2022).
| Age group | Where the benefit levels off | What the study found |
|---|---|---|
| Adults under 60 | 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day | Risk of death kept falling as steps rose, up to this range |
| Adults 60 and older | 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day | Risk of death kept falling as steps rose, up to this range |
| All adults (quartiles) | About 10,900 steps a day (top quartile) | 47% lower risk of death than the lowest quartile, about 3,550 steps a day |
How many steps a day is sedentary, active or highly active?
Researchers commonly use a graduated step index for healthy adults, first proposed in 2004 and supported in later reviews (Tudor-Locke et al., 2011):
| Steps per day | Activity level |
|---|---|
| Under 2,500 | Basal activity |
| 2,500 to 4,999 | Limited activity |
| Under 5,000 (both groups above) | Sedentary |
| 5,000 to 7,499 | Low active |
| 7,500 to 9,999 | Somewhat active |
| 10,000 to 12,499 | Active |
| 12,500 or more | Highly active |
The same review notes that healthy adults typically take between 4,000 and 18,000 steps a day. To turn your count into distance, see how many steps are in a mile and our km to miles conversion guide.
Is 10,000 steps a day necessary?
The 2022 meta-analysis states that although 10,000 steps per day is widely promoted, there was little evidence behind that specific number (Paluch et al., 2022). The 2011 review called 10,000 steps a day “reasonable” for healthy adults, while noting that other programs around the world recommend anywhere from about 7,000 to 11,000 (Tudor-Locke et al., 2011).
How do steps per day compare with the 150-minute guideline?
The CDC says adults need at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, such as brisk walking for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, plus 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity (CDC).
At about 100 steps per minute, 30 minutes of brisk walking is roughly 3,000 steps on top of your usual daily movement. Researchers estimate that meeting the guideline through everyday life works out to about 7,000 to 8,000 steps a day (Tudor-Locke et al., 2011). To check how hard you are working, use our guide to target heart rate by age.
How to get more steps a day
Step programs typically raise people’s counts by about 2,000 to 2,500 steps a day (Tudor-Locke et al., 2011). A gradual plan works best:
- Find your baseline. Wear your phone or fitness tracker for a normal week and note your average daily steps.
- Add about 1,000 steps a day. Raise your daily target in small steps and hold it for a week or two before adding more.
- Build in a brisk walk. A 10-minute walk at a quick pace adds roughly 1,000 steps and counts toward weekly moderate activity.
- Break up sitting. Walk during phone calls, take the stairs and park farther away. The CDC notes that some activity is better than none (CDC).
- Aim for your age range. Work toward 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day if you are under 60, or 6,000 to 8,000 if you are 60 or older.
If you have a heart condition, joint problems or another health concern, ask your doctor before making a big jump in activity. For a structured treadmill option, see what the 12-3-30 workout is.
Frequently asked questions
Is 10,000 steps a day good?
Yes. 10,000 steps a day is a reasonable goal for healthy adults, but research shows most of the health benefit arrives earlier. A 2025 Lancet Public Health meta-analysis found that 7,000 steps a day already brings clinically meaningful improvements.
How many steps a day is considered active?
On the graduated step index used by researchers, 10,000 to 12,499 steps a day counts as active and 12,500 or more counts as highly active. 7,500 to 9,999 steps a day is classed as somewhat active.
How many steps a day is considered sedentary?
Fewer than 5,000 steps a day is classed as sedentary. Researchers later split that group into basal activity (under 2,500 steps) and limited activity (2,500 to 4,999 steps).
How many steps a day to lose weight?
No step count guarantees weight loss, because weight also depends on how much you eat. Adding steps raises the calories you burn; the America on the Move program, for example, paired an extra 2,000 steps a day with eating 100 fewer calories to stop weight gain.
Is 7,000 steps a day enough?
For many adults, yes. Compared with 2,000 steps a day, 7,000 steps a day was linked to a 47% lower risk of death from any cause and lower risks of heart disease, dementia and depressive symptoms.
How many steps a day should a 60 year old take?
A meta-analysis of 15 cohorts found that the risk of death kept falling up to about 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day for adults aged 60 and older, then leveled off.
Featured image: People walking in a park by D Coetzee, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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Sources
- Ding D, et al. Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health, 2025.
- Paluch AE, et al. Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts. Lancet Public Health, 2022.
- National Institutes of Health. Number of steps per day more important than step intensity. 2020.
- Tudor-Locke C, et al. How many steps/day are enough? For adults. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2011.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult Activity: An Overview.