Why Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day? Answered!

Is it really that important to walk 10,000 steps a day? What's so special about 10,000 steps and why is that the standard set by wellness apps? Why not 8,000, 9,000, or even 15,000 or more? No doubt, Walking is a great exercise form.

The origins of the 10,000-step recommendation aren't exactly scientific. Pedometers sold in Japan in the 1960s were marketed under the name "manpo-kei," which translates to "10,000 steps meter," said Catrine TudorLocke, director of the Walking Behavior Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. The idea resonated with people, and gained popularity with Japanese walking groups, Tudor-Locke said.

The Science Behind
Walking 10,000 Steps

There was plenty of research that suggested walking 10,000 steps a day is a great thing to do, because walking 10,000 steps a day burns roughly 300-400 kcal, depending on your speed and body type, roughly equivalent to a ninety-minute walk.