New Study Shows 7,000 Steps a Day Is Enough for Major Health Benefits
Forget chasing 10,000 steps. Researchers find 7,000 daily steps can deliver big health gains, from heart protection to better mental health
Walking 7,000 steps a day can lower the risk of an early death by up to 47%, nearly matching the benefit of the long-promoted 10,000-step goal, according to a new study published in The Lancet Public Health.
The meta-analysis, led by Professor Ding Ding of the University of Sydney, reviewed 57 studies in which participants wore pedometers, accelerometers or fitness trackers to measure daily step counts. The researchers compared outcomes at 1,000-step increments starting from 2,000 steps a day.
They found that walking 7,000 steps reduced dementia risk by 38%, with an additional 7% reduction at 10,000, while the risk of type 2 diabetes fell by 22% at 10,000 steps and 27% at 12,000. Moreover, significant health improvements were observed once people increased their average step count to between 5,000 and 7,000 steps per day. The study also linked higher step counts with lower risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer and depression.
“For people who are already active, 10,000 steps a day is great,” Dr. Katherine Owen, co-author and chief analyst of the study from the School of Public Health, said. “But beyond 7000 steps, the extra benefits for most of the health outcomes we looked at were modest.”
The team is also working with the Australian government to use the findings to inform future physical activity guidelines.
“Our research helps to shift the focus from perfection to progress,” Professor Ding said. “Even small increases in daily movement can lead to meaningful health improvements.”
That message is resonating well beyond the lab. While run clubs remain a staple of community fitness culture, a new twist is gaining traction: audiobook walking clubs, where participants gather with headphones and an audiobook queued up, stroll at a conversational pace, and wrap up with casual discussion or a book swap.
In Washington, D.C., the club Book It Around, founded by youth services librarian Kit Ballenger and book influencer Morgan Menzies, meets monthly at scenic spots like the National Mall and the National Arboretum. Menzies estimates that 30 to 50 people attend each meetup, depending on weather and schedules. “People are coming month after month, and bringing friends,” Ballenger recently told Publishers Weekly.