Name: Why you might only need 7,000 steps a day
Uploaded: 2025-12-27T02:20:11.869Z
Duration: 2 min 16 s
Description: The popular notion of getting 10,000 steps a day is more marketing than science and researchers say health benefits plateau at a lower number for many people. Fitness experts recommend breaking up extended sits with longer, faster-paced walks rather than step-counting.

The popular notion of getting 10,000 steps a day is more marketing than science and researchers say health benefits plateau at a lower number for many people. Fitness experts recommend breaking up extended sits with longer, faster-paced walks rather than step-counting.

Recent research indicates that the common recommendation of 10,000 steps per day for health is not grounded in scientific evidence but originated from a marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer in the 1960s. Studies now show that significant health benefits, including reduced mortality rates, can be achieved with daily step counts as low as 7,000.

Experts encourage people to focus on increasing movement in practical ways, such as breaking up periods of sitting, walking more briskly, or choosing stairs over escalators. Setting realistic goals is advised, especially for those who currently walk less, as any increase in daily activity can contribute to better health.

Why you might only need 7,000 steps a day

Whether it's a New Year's resolution or just a way to stay healthy many Canadians want to increase their daily steps. So what's the magic number for how many steps in a day you really need? My average is about 15,000 a day with the dog. This Pickering, Ontario couple aims high but they admit focusing on a number can be tricky. If you concentrate on steps I think that's, I don't know, there's kind of pressure. This walking group for people 55 and up focuses more on just getting moving and staying independent rather than hitting a specific step count. At one point the idea was everyone should do 10,000 and now there's some query back and forth does everybody need 10,000 steps? Fun fact, the notion of getting 10,000 steps per day isn't actually based on science but from marketing. It was tied to ads for a Japanese pedometer 60 years ago as part of a campaign linked to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The English translation is literally 10,000 step counter. The scientific director for participation says there are better ways to think about steps than a decades-old marketing ploy. Look for those little opportunities where you can break up those extended periods of sitting. Can you get off a transit stop sooner or a little bit later? Can you park further away? It can also mean walking a bit farther, a bit faster or swapping an escalator ride for the stairs. But if you do want to focus on a number, research suggests it might be lower than you think. Various recent studies show daily step counts in the thousands may cut mortality rates and only around up to 7,000 steps per day are needed to see those benefits. At around 7,000 steps a day we start to see a little bit plateauing of health effects. This researcher says it's all about hitting realistic goals. If you tend to be the kind of people who are you know lingering around you know 4,000 trying to bring it up to all the way to 10,000 might be a little bit out of reach. Of course when it comes to staying healthy it's all a step in the right direction. Lauren Peli, CBC News, Toronto.

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