An international study led by the University of Granada has determined the optimal number of daily steps for reducing the risk of premature death is 8,000, equivalent to roughly 6.4 kilometers of walking. The idea of aiming for 10,000 daily steps, which originated in Japan in the 1960s, lacked scientific basis. This research shows that, for cardiovascular health benefits, around 7,000 steps are sufficient. The study emphasizes that walking at a faster pace is more beneficial than a slow one. Collaborating with researchers from the Netherlands and the United States, the study involved over 110,000 participants and established that increasing daily steps, even by 500, has health benefits. The study also revealed that there’s no harm in exceeding 9,000 steps and that step goals should be age-appropriate, offering clear, easily measurable health targets for individuals.