It’s long been a fitness mantra: hit 10,000 steps a day for a healthier you.
But it turns out we’re falling quite a bit short in 2024. In fact, Brits are only managing 5,951 steps on average – just over half of this magic number.
And it’s not much better further afield, as a new study has found that the global average step count is actually just 5,833.
The research, by PureGym, analysed step tracker data from around the world, and its findings reveal that the 10k benchmark may not be achievable in today’s world of hybrid working and busier lifestyles.
In fact, no country managed to hit that much talked about figure.
Topping the global list are the Danish, with an average daily step count of 6,633 steps, while closer to home, the residents of Sheffield walk more than anywhere else in the UK, clocking up 7,209 steps.
The Yorkshire city’s proximity to scenic green spaces like the Peak District could be one reason for this, encouraging locals to stretch their legs a bit more than the rest of us.
Interestingly, Londoners log 6,032 steps on average each day, putting the capital in fifth place and slightly above both the UK and global averages. Despite London’s extensive Underground network, it seems the need to walk between stations, workplaces, and other spots keeps residents moving more than you might expect.
Top 10 UK cities taking the most steps each day
- Sheffield – 7,209 average daily steps
- Newcastle – 6,582 average daily steps
- Glasgow – 6,329 average daily steps
- Leicester – 6,307 average daily steps
- London – 6,032 average daily steps
- Bristol – 5,811 average daily steps
- Chelmsford –5,729 average daily steps
- Birmingham – 5,508 average daily steps
- Brighton and Hove – 5,436 average daily steps
- Manchester – 4,901 average daily steps
Is it a problem if you’re not hitting 10,000 steps a day?
According to Claire Phippen, a personal trainer at PureGym: ‘The 10,000-step goal has become somewhat of a fitness trend over the last few years, with many quoting this number as a key factor to hit in your health and fitness journey.
‘But while it is a simple, easy to understand benchmark, it’s essential to recognise that it’s not a one size fits all solution.’
Leah Bygraves-Paul, a personal trainer at PureGym, agrees: ‘Although a high step count is a very good indication of a nation’s overall levels of fitness, as well as attitudes to fitness in general, it certainly isn’t the only metric to consider when it comes to physical activity,’ she says.
Top 10 countries taking the most steps each day
- Denmark – 6,633 average daily steps (+13.71% global average)
- Poland – 6,504 average daily steps (+11.50% global average)
- Sweden – 6,461 average daily steps (+10.76% global average)
- Netherlands – 6,436 average daily step (+10.32% global average)
- Switzerland – 6,364 average daily steps (+9.09% global average)
- Australia – 6,179 average daily steps (+5.92% global average)
- Belgium – 6,147 average daily steps (+5.37% global average)
- Finland – 5,999 average daily steps (+2.83% global average)
- Japan – 5,996 average daily steps (+2.78% global average)
- Spain – 5,968 average daily steps (+2.30% global average)
She goes onto add that while Brits may not walk as much as other countries, we do still enjoy exercise.
‘We’re a nation of gym-lovers,’ Leah says. ‘People may swim, run, play tennis or engage in many other types of sport.’
Both Leah and Claire also caution against an over-reliance on metrics like step counts and fitness trackers, which can lead to unhealthy obsessions with numbers.
Leah says: ‘Be mindful when it comes to lofty goals like 10,000 steps and using fitness trackers to monitor them.
‘Unless you are training for a competition or a race, you don’t need to focus on what it says. It’s a great tool to encourage you to move and monitor your progress, but don’t let it be the be all and end all.’
Is 10,000 really the magic number?
It might surprise you to learn that it wasn’t doctors or medical professionals that came up with 10,000, but rather, it was born out of a marketing campaign.
Prior to the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, a company started selling a pedometer called the Manpo-kei.
‘Man’ represents the number 10,000 in Japanese, while ‘po’ mean ‘steps’ and ‘kei’ means meter. At the time, it was a huge success, and the number has hung around, all these years later.
So, while 10,000 is a helpful guideline to encourage more physical activity, it’s important to remember that everyone’s fitness level, lifestyle, and goals are different.
Claire says: ‘For some, 10,000 steps might be excessive, while others might need to aim higher.’
Leah agrees, saying that walking every day is a great way to maintain or improve overall health, but she reminds us that it’s consistency above anything else: ‘I always tell people to find the exercise that they enjoy, because that’s the one you’ll continue in the long run. Your focus should not necessarily be on hitting a certain number of steps, or workout length, but being consistent.
‘Consistency doesn’t mean being perfect, but that you continually persist on reaching overall goals, despite going off track,. Consistency is just about being persistent to reach your goal, whatever that might be!’
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Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
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