The myth of 10,000 magical steps boomed in the past and is still evolving in many people’s heads. “As long as you take 10.000 steps daily” you reduce your risk of diseases, enhancing your chances of living a happy fruitful life.
But is that true in reality? Should we all stick to this number or is there a specific number of steps suitable for each sex and age?
This is what you’re going to explore in this short review – what are the recommended steps per day by age: how many steps should you take daily? Additionally, you will learn:
- how many steps per day are considered healthy;
- how many steps daily is enough if you don’t exercise;
- The benefits of 5,000 steps daily .
Get ready for your answers today, go outside, and enjoy a walk with all the knowledge you’ve got.
What are recommended steps per day by age?
Without further ado, let’s find out how many steps a person should take daily according to their sex and age.
Average Numbers of Steps Per Day For Adult Females
A meta-analysis of 15 studies showed that walking between 6,000 and 8,000 steps a day is effective in lowering the risk of disease and reducing the risk of death. Walking more than this is all right as well, but it might not greatly impact the reduction of health risks any further (1).
According to this study , the recommended steps per day by age for females (18-59 years) is 6,000 to 8,000.
Older women according to another study will benefit from taking at least 4,000 steps daily. The study showed that women who took 4,400 steps per day were much less likely to die from a preventable illness or disease than those who walked 2,700 steps per day (2).
Average Numbers of Steps Per Day For Adult Males
Recommended steps per day by age male, aged 20 to 65 were examined in 837 articles. According to this research, an average male who takes 12,500 steps daily has a 50% better chance of reducing symptoms of depression compared to those men who take less than 5,000 steps (3).
The same study showed that males who take at least 4,000 steps daily reduce their waist circumference by 1 inch (2.8 centimeters) (3).
Average Numbers of Steps Per Day For Children
Unlike adults, children need to take a double quantity of steps. They need to be much more active to grow healthier and stronger. One systematic review defined that children and teens aged 5 to 19 need to take 12,000 steps daily (4).
Surely, not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy daily walks, especially in older age groups. In this case, indoor walking could be a helpful activity. There are many ways to begin indoor walking but one of the ones that we would recommend is a 28-day indoor walking weight loss challenge that does not only promote your well-being but helps you sustain a healthier weight when combined with proper nutritional intake .
Read more: Walking With Weights: Benefits, Risks And Tips
What Is the Optimal Number of Steps Per Day by Age Group?
Below, you will find a chart that goes over the optimal number of steps per day by each age group. This data comes from the research articles that we have listed earlier in this article.
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| Age Group | Number of Steps |
|---|---|
| Average steps per day for a woman, aged 18-59 | 6,000-8,000 steps |
| Average steps per day for a woman, aged 59 and older | 4,000 steps |
| Average steps per day for a man, aged 20 to 65 | 7,000-12,000 steps |
| Average steps per day for children and teens | 12,000 steps |
People who strive to shed some weight could benefit from taking a bigger number of steps, for example, take a look at this article for a 20000 steps a day weight loss routine. In addition to this, a person needs to watch their diet choices, stay hydrated, and sleep enough to achieve their weight loss goals.
How Many Steps a Day Is Considered Active?
Healthy adults should take between 8,000 to 10,000 steps daily, which will be considered as active. Yet, older adults need to aim for 5,000 to 7,000 steps. According to one study, such older adults reduced their risk of mortality when taking around 4,400 to 7,500 steps daily (2).
Children though require to take a larger number of steps to call it active – at least 11,000 per day. So here everything depends on age as well (4).
However, some individuals with certain health conditions and reduced mobility need to consult their healthcare providers before implementing any activities into their routine.
How Many Steps a Day Is Healthiest?
Current guidelines mentioned above demonstrate that a healthy adult should aim for 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day. Elderly people need to take at least 4,000 steps daily while children should get at least 11,000.
Essentially, there are exceptions depending on each individual’s health condition. Generally speaking, the more steps you’re able to take, the better. Some use brisk walking while others prefer slower-paced strolls.
When it comes to weight loss, progress is made by inches, not miles, so it’s much harder to track and a lot easier to give up. The BetterMe: Health Coaching app is your personal trainer, nutritionist, and support system all in one. Start using our app to stay on track and hold yourself accountable!
If you’re interested in adding more walks to your life, try to get creative with it or make it less challenge-focused. For instance:
- instead of counting steps, simply aim to achieve a certain time with each walk you take . Start with 10 minutes of walks daily and gradually increase it to a longer period;
- go to your favorite places, it could be a park, a city center, or even your favorite supermarket/shopping mall where you can take more steps without even noticing it;
- walk with your pet, if you have one;
- offer your friend to join you;
- try other engaging activities that will count for walking, dancing is a good example. Turn on your favorite music and dance, or go to dancing classes by yourself or with a friend;
- trek to different places in your city/village that you rarely go to. Discover other streets and locations.
How Many Steps a Day Are Enough Without Exercise?
Taking 8,000 to 10,000 steps daily could be enough without exercise. Yet, adding exercise to your daily routine would be a perfect way to compliment your overall health. As you know already, incorporating different exercising activities can lead to enhanced mood, better joint health, improved brain work, and promoted heart work.
Therefore, if you have an opportunity and are physically healthy, combining walking and exercising could increase your quality of life.
Read more: Walking 15 Minutes A Day Is Good For You And Here’s Why
Are 5,000 Steps a Day Enough?
Taking 5,000 steps daily as a healthy adult or especially a child is considered sedentary (5). Healthy individuals should aim for at least 7,000 steps while children need to almost double it to 12,000.
Being sedentary is not good for your health for multiple reasons: becoming overweight, increasing the chances of certain types of cancer, and having trouble with your metabolism. Also, sedentary people might have issues with blood pressure, regulation of blood sugar levels, and overall performance (6).
Aim to take more steps daily if you want to be healthier and live longer.
The Bottom Line
This review covered the recommended steps per day by age: how many steps should you take daily? You have learned that healthy adults should aim for 7,000 to 8,000 steps while older populations need to get 4,000 to 5,000.
Children should be the most active taking up to 12,000 steps daily.
These numbers get higher slightly if you want to reach weight loss goals or get more active without exercise. However, incorporating other physical activities aside from walking could potentially increase your life quality.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.
BetterMe, its content staff, and its medical advisors accept no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, misstatements, inconsistencies, or omissions and specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal, professional or otherwise, which may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and/or application of any content.
You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or your specific situation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of BetterMe content. If you suspect or think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor.
SOURCES:
- Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts (2022, thelancet.com)
- Association of Step Volume and Intensity With All-Cause Mortality in Older Women (2019, jamanetwork.com)
- How many steps/day are enough? for adults (2011, biomedcentral.com)
- Step-Count Guidelines for Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review (2014, humankinetics.com)
- The association between daily step count and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: a meta-analysis (2023, academic.oup.com)
- Why we should sit less (2022, www.nhs.uk)
- Daily stair climbing, disease susceptibility, and risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: A prospective cohort study (2023, atherosclerosis-journal.com)
