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The number became widely adopted, particularly with the rise of fitness trackers and smartwatches.

Testing the target: In 2022, a fitness researcher named Amanda Paluch investigated the validity of this benchmark. Within her study of 50,000 adults, she found that:

📌 For adults 60 and older, health benefits plateau at 6,000–8,000 steps per day

📌 For adults under 60, the optimal range is higher at 8,000–10,000 steps daily

Paluch explains that older adults may find fewer steps less physically demanding, which can stimulate similar health benefits to higher step counts in younger individuals. She emphasizes that adding any steps — particularly for sedentary individuals — brings the greatest health gains. For most adults who average only 2,000–3,000 steps daily, small increases can lead to substantial improvements.