How many steps a day do you actually need?
10 000 is from a 1964 Japanese pedometer ad, not a study. Here's what the last decade of research actually shows.
You've heard 10 000 steps a day forever. It feels official. It is not. The number comes from a Japanese pedometer called Manpo-kei — launched in 1964 as a marketing campaign.
The research, in three findings
Three large meta-analyses converge on similar numbers — but the right target changes by age.
Why pace matters more than you think
Cadence — steps per minute — shows up in nearly every study as an independent predictor.
Pedometeryo's Activity tab shows both your average and peak cadence for every day.
Realistic daily targets, by age
Based on the meta-analyses, here are targets that give you ~80% of the benefit:
- Under 40: 9 000 – 10 000 steps
- 40 – 60: 7 500 – 9 000 steps
- 60+: 6 000 – 8 000 steps
What we recommend instead of a round number
Forget 10k. Pick a target that is 15% above your current 7-day average and stick to it for two weeks.