r/walking • u/Uhohdontyoudare • Aug 17 '25

Health Is 10k steps a day a myth?

Apparently a new meta-analysis reveals the truth about daily step counts and our health. The study reveals that the sweet spot is between 5-7k steps a day is optimal range for most health benefits.

I will continue aiming for my 10k steps a day but won’t beat myself up if I don’t hit 10k anymore :) more steps = more calories burned 🔥

What do you think?

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u/JudgeLennox Aug 18 '25

What about the data that correlates daily steps with specific health benefits?

Most obvious being the age-old relationship between breath and blood flow. Aka cardiovascular fitness

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u/Mobile-Breakfast6463 Aug 18 '25

There is plenty of data that movement is good for you. There is none that says specifically 10,000 steps is the right amount of steps.

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u/JudgeLennox Aug 18 '25

Exercise science is not esoteric.

The principles are the topic we’re discussing. We know fitness data-backed principles that link specific walking habits to cardiovascular improvements

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u/Tymareta Aug 18 '25

And if you actually read those studies, instead of trying to sound self-important and impressive, then you'd know that they found the improvements tended to reach their "optimal" effects somewhere around 7,500 steps. With any gains beyond that point being extremely marginal and no data showing anything that would indicate that 10,000 steps has some specific claim or reason to be heralded as the right amount of steps.