History of the 10,000 step rule

In the 1960s, professor Yoshiro Hatano invented the 10,000 step rule after he became interested in figuring out the most impactful method for preventing heart disease and obesity.

Hatano theorised that taking 10,000 steps a day, the equivalent of about five miles, would result in 20 percent of burned calories for the average person. The idea spread to the U.S. and other countries and became the recommended health standard in several organisations.