What's Typical for Average Daily Steps?

How many steps per day does the average American take? Pedometer researcher Dr. Catrine Tudor-Locke is on the hunt for the answer. Her study, published in "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" in 2004, showed wide variation in the 200 men and women who participated.

Men: The men in the survey took an average of 7192 steps per day.

Women: The women in the survey took an average of 5210 step per day.

BMI Effects: Study participants with larger body mass indexes (a measure of overweight and obesity) took fewer steps per day on average.

Day of the Week Effects: People walked more on workdays, weekdays, and days they participated in sports or exercise.

How Many Steps Per Day are Enough?

Dr. Tudor-Locke previously weighed in on how many steps per day were enough to prevent weight gain and to get the health benefits of walking. In general, a person should add 2000-3000 more steps to their day than they get from their general activities.

• How Many Steps Per Day are Enough?
• Before You Buy a Pedometer
• Pedometer Walking Programs

SOURCE:

^{Le Masurier GC, Lee SM, Tudor-Locke C., "Motion sensor accuracy under controlled and free-living conditions." Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004 May;36(5):905-10.}

^{Tudor-Locke, Catrine, Bassett, David R Jr. "How Many Steps/Day Are Enough?: Preliminary Pedometer Indices for Public Health" Sports Medicine. 34(1):1-8, 2004.}