How many STEPS should I walk per day to stay HEALTHY?

How many steps should I walk per day to stay healthy? This video will summarize the major health benefits of daily walking and how many steps you need to maximize those effects. Benefits include improved mortality, decreased cardiovascular risk, improved cognition, better immune response, and stronger mental health.

► TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Introduction
1:02 Steps and mortality
2:26 Steps and cardiovascular disease
3:10 Steps and cognition
3:51 Steps and immunity
4:29 Steps and mental health
5:16 Step counter?
5:48 Summary

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► ABOUT ME

Jeffrey Peng MD is a nonoperative orthopedist and sports medicine specialist. He created a YouTube channel and blog to translate cutting edge medical knowledge and clinical research to benefit all those looking to live an active and healthy lifestyle. He focuses on maximizing non-surgical treatments for sports injuries and orthopedic conditions. He specializes in using orthobiologics and ultrasound guided minimally invasive techniques to treat osteoarthritis, tendinopathies, and musculoskeletal disorders.

Dr. Peng is board certified in sports medicine and family medicine. He completed residency with the Stanford family medicine residency program and completed his sports medicine training with the Stanford primary care sports medicine fellowship in San Jose. He is an active faculty member for both programs and is excited about training the next generation of physicians.

Dr. Peng’s sports medicine clinic is located in Campbell, California.

► Disclaimer

My content reflects my own opinion and does not represent the views or opinions of my employers or hospital systems I am affiliated with. They are meant for educational purposes only. They do not substitute for the medical advice of a physician. Always seek the advice of your physician with any questions you may have regarding your health.

[jewelhome]

My wife and I do our daily “walkie-talkies”. We walk and we talk as it is an hour or two of undivided attention to each other. Good for the relationship!

[conniebabcock]

Nine months ago my weight was 182 lbs. On a 5 ft. body what was a lot ! I started walking mixed with some running. Changed my diet, big time. I now weigh 111 lbs. I feel like a new person. I’m 68 yrs. old. It’s never to late to improve. 😊😊. My A1c was 11 when I began my journey. It is now 6. Yay, me 😊

[dancooper]

I am a retired 61 year old Marine, and after years of running, I now walk 12K daily. A few days ago during my walk, I saw an older gentleman who took the time to encourage each person who passed him. He told me that he was “92 years old - and 7 months toward 93”. He said that he walked every day, and then gave me some sage advice: “Son, keep walking. Don’t ever stop - that’s the key!”

[e.miller]

I walked 8-10, 000 steps per day from my sixties through seventies and believe it did indeed help keep me more healthy. At age 80, I have started doing HIIT(high intensity interval training.) HIIT has significantly improved my energy level. I wish I had been doing it for my whole life.

[sarthakjain]

I am obese so started walking to lose some weight. And I can't believe it but it's working much better than I expected. I lost around 5 kilos in 1 month by walking 5 km and I'm not even tired by the end of it. Walking is so underrated

[ultimaetsolder]

I am 95 and I walk 8000 steps per day. I feel better than when I was 30!

[fatoumfatoumeh]

I’ve been walking between 10k to 16k a day since the beginning of 2022, and my mental health has never been better. I have lost my entire family in 2021 (May they Rest In Peace), and did not go to therapy. Religion, waking up before dawn to pray, and walking daily has been such an immense help. I was always a healthy person and was not unfit to begin with, but after the deaths, I was in a very dark place for a year and did not want to do anything but stay home, cry and sleep all day. Things are different now. My average step count for the past 3 months is 15k, I swear it has kept me sane and positive like nothing else I have tried.

[coagulatedsalts]

i walk about 5-6 km a day and it's one of the best choices i made. i feel better not just physically but also mentally! i also went from 104kg (which was my heaviest) to 89kg. i have no intentions of stopping anytime soon!

[judyjohnson]

I used to aim for 10, 000, but then the doc told me my left ventricle was working too hard. I reset the goal to 7500 and my resting heart rate has improved. Blessed are the pedestrians!

[perryberman]

Nearly 2 years ago I had a triple bypass, my heart was at 15%, and they had to use an impella pump to keep my heart going. Then I spent nearly a week in a coma with a 90 year old mother alone at home. Somehow I survived and on March 20 it will be 1 year of walking more than 10000 steps every day. Mom is now 92 and I can take care of her the way she needs. I also went from 230 to 145.

[helenhulbert]

I'm 68 and walking 15-17, 000 steps per day. I also eat one good nutritional natural food meal a day. I am prediabetic and have high blood pressure. I am definitely improving both. The weight loss is steady but a slog as I have under active thyroid. I have noticed I have lost some belly fat. I look and feel so much better. Part of my walk is quite a steep hill that goes on for almost a mile. I used to have to stop and rest 3 times, now I can walk really fast up it without stopping. I use a step counter in my pocket, it definitely motivates me.

[gtw]

I don't count steps but rather I track time aiming for an average of one hour per day, six days per week. Some days I walk 2 or more hours to make up for days when the weather makes walking unpleasant. The hardest thing is just to get out the door because once I've started, I love it!

[robkunkel]

At 76, I got a job giving tours of a historical Synagogue in St. Thomas, USVI. How my circulation changed! The job meant at least 7, 000 fast moving steps every day, plus momentary strenuous activity going up and down a steep hill. Seniors are very fortunate when businesses give them a chance to be a part of a functional system that involves teaching and volunteerism.

[shresthaditya]

1:20-Moratlity rate comparison
1:49-2nd Mortality Rate Comparison
2:07-No association between walking intensity and mortality
2:50-Artery Stiffness comparison b/w 5000 and 7500 steps person
4:15-Walking one hour a day for pnemonia comparison
5:00-Step Count For Mental Health
5:50-Get a Step Tracker
Atleast 7500 steps to 12000 steps

[hammer-fngm]

Since I retired 5 years ago I have been walking about 12, 000 steps six days a week. The health benefits for me have been great. I am no longer on blood pressure medicine. I did not start out to walk, but it came as a side benefit of my love of nature photography. There is a 2, 000 acre park near my house that I walk every day with my camera. The reward of the walk is not only the walk, but the pictures to share.

[charliepearce]

I was once very active and fit. Now im crippled, and wish i could just go for a walk anywhere. It sux ! You're health and well-being is definitely connected with just being able to walk.

[sheri]

I'm no where near that 7500 steps per day, but I'm improving! I just averaged 4000 steps per day in February, the highest I've ever had in February.

[lipazdotan]

I'm obese and try to change my life so I can have a baby. Cut my junk food and soda completely, now working on improving my diet and try and walking between 7k-8k steps daily. It's a journey but I already feel better with myself.

[gaycha]

Walking. It’s why we have legs. Use them while you can.

[alexgo]

I have been doing 10, 000 steps per day and in 2 months I changed my medium fatty liver to a Healthy liver (no trace of fatty liver signs) so... YES, this has been essential.
I have been also taking Policosanol to clean the veins of cholesterol, too.