Most of us know that regular physical activity is great for health, reducing risks of heart disease and even lowering the risk of death. Walking is one of the easiest ways to fit in physical activity, and even just a little more walking can make a difference. For example, taking an additional 1,000 steps each day has been linked to a 12%–15% reduced risk of dying from any cause, as well as better odds of avoiding frailty.

For years, you may have heard that taking 10,000 steps a day should be the goal. However, the World Health Organization doesn’t recommend a specific step count for health benefits. That might leave you wondering—what’s the “ideal” (or “magic”) number?

A major 2023 meta-analysis (a type of study that combines results from many other studies to find patterns) set out to answer that question. Researchers looked at data from over 111,000 people across 12 studies to find the connection between step counts and our health. Here’s what they found:

Small Step Increases Make a Big Difference

Walking just 2,517 steps per day was associated with an 8% reduction in the risk of death from any cause. Taking 2,735 steps per day reduced the risk of heart disease by 11%. For an average woman, this would be walking about a mile. You can put your height into a step calculator to estimate how many steps equals a mile.

Optimal Step Counts for Maximum Benefits

Around 8,763 steps per day led to the greatest reduction in dying from any cause. Walking around 7,127 steps per day offered the best benefits for reducing heart disease risk. Interestingly, walking beyond these optimal counts did not significantly add to the health benefits.

Walk Faster for Even More Benefits

Walking at a moderate to high cadence (the number of steps you take per minute) was linked to even lower mortality rates, regardless of the total daily step count.

Small Increases Can Help Most People

Adding just 1,000 steps a day provided additional health benefits, especially for people who were not taking many steps to start with. These small, achievable increases can make a real difference for most people.

Step Goals Are for Everyone

In this study, men and women experienced health benefits from walking, making these findings relevant to everyone.

What’s the Takeaway?

You don’t need to reach 10,000 steps a day to see health improvements! Significant benefits start as low as around 2,500 to 2,800 steps per day—about a mile for many people. Walking up to about 8,800 steps may decrease your risk of chronic health conditions even more. If you enjoy going beyond that number, there’s no reason to stop walking! Those additional steps may not add much in terms of lowering your health risks, but they’re still great for fitness and overall well-being.

Whether you’re just starting a fitness routine or aiming to boost your daily activity, remember that both the number and intensity of your steps count. If you can, pick up the pace for even better health.