Walking 7,000 Steps Daily Can Lower Disease Risk, Study Finds

• Jul 24, 2025

Taking just 7,000 steps a day may be enough to improve brain health and reduce the risk of major diseases.

A new study published in The Lancet Public Health reveals that walking 7,000 steps daily can significantly cut the risk of conditions like heart disease, cancer, dementia, and depression. The researchers suggest that this step count may be a more achievable and realistic health goal for many people compared to the widely promoted 10,000-step target.

Dr Melody Ding, the study’s lead author, explained that the 10,000-step benchmark, often seen as the daily goal on fitness apps and trackers, isn't actually based on scientific evidence. Instead, it originated from a 1960s Japanese marketing campaign for a pedometer named “manpo-kei,” meaning “10,000-step meter.” Since then, the number became widely accepted despite lacking solid medical backing.

The global analysis reviewed data from more than 160,000 adults and compared health outcomes for individuals taking various daily step counts. It found that walking 7,000 steps a day reduced the risk of:

Cardiovascular disease by 25%

Dementia by 38%

Depression by 22%

Cancer by 6%

The researchers noted that while these figures are promising, some come from fewer studies and may not be as precise. Still, even a modest increase in steps—from 2,000 to around 4,000 daily—was linked to better health outcomes.

For most health conditions, the benefits of walking tend to plateau beyond 7,000 steps. However, continuing beyond that level may offer extra heart health advantages.

Although current guidelines from the World Health Organization focus on time-based goals—such as 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly—experts say step counts are easier for many people to understand and track. Dr Ding believes step-based recommendations could be added to encourage people to spread activity throughout their day.

Dr Daniel Bailey from Brunel University says the study helps debunk the "10,000-step myth," and recommends that aiming for 5,000 to 7,000 steps may be more achievable for most people. Dr Andrew Scott from the University of Portsmouth agrees that exact numbers are less important than simply moving more.

Ultimately, the message is clear: even a modest increase in daily steps can bring meaningful health benefits.