Conventional wisdom says the journey to a long and healthy life begins with 10,000 steps. Every day.
It is a goal that can take some effort to maintain. We have known for a while that it is almost certainly wrong.
A team of researchers analyzed data on tens of thousands of people across four continents and found that the optimal number is probably closer to 6,000 steps per day.
It's unlikely that anything more will reduce your chances of dying.
"So, what we saw was this incremental reduction in risk as steps increase, until it levels off."
The leveling occurred at different step values for older and younger adults.
Humans are built to walk. As we tick-tock back and forth across the landscape in search of food and water, our evolution has made it easy to walk long distances.
Our metabolisms, cardiovascular fitness, impact on our bones and muscles, and even our mental health are all affected by a good hike. Squeezing just about any kind of stroll into our busy schedule will help us live longer, healthier, happier lives.
Tech companies invented small devices that help us keep track of the number of steps we take each day, which is why it is easier to do for those who are pressed for time or lack motivation.
The Yamasa clock and instrument company in Japan wanted to cash in on the buzz created by the 1964 Tokyo Olympics by producing a pedometer that could measure 10,000 steps.
Why 10,000? Good marketing. It is a nice, round number that is doable, but taxing enough to be a goal. There is no scientific backing for it.
It is useful to have a single figure to promote to a general population.
Getting that number right could make a difference between encouraging people to get enough exercise and putting them off.
The research was based on a group of more than 2,000 middle-aged individuals living across the US. They found that taking at least 7,000 steps a day reduced the chance of premature death.
The words are doing some heavy lifting. The research team widened their net to include previously published research because of questions about whether more is better and whether squeezing all those steps into a more rapid pace is useful.
The health and step-counts of 47,171 adults from Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America were included in the latest meta-analysis. The 25 percent of adults who stepped the most each day had a lower chance of dying.
The risk for adults 60 and older was reduced to around 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day. Pushing further might have other benefits, but a reduced chance of death is not one of them.
The study found that people who are younger can do well to walk a little more, but there isn't evidence that they will live longer by walking more than 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day.
The team found that volume is what really matters when it comes to the rate of steps.
There is a lot of evidence suggesting that moving even a little more is beneficial for those who are doing very little activity.
It is not to say that working our bodies harder in other ways would not benefit us.
Half an hour of intense activity each day could be a big boost for those of us who sit a lot. Strength training in old age can help our brains stay sharp and our hearts and bones stay strong.
Setting our sights on at least 6,000 to 8,000 paces before the sun goes down could be a much easier step towards a longer life.
The research was published in a journal.
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