SYDNEY, 23 July 2025 – A major global study has found that walking 7,000 steps per day is enough to significantly improve health and reduce the risk of death—challenging the long-held belief that 10,000 steps is the magic number.
Published in The Lancet Public Health, the University of Sydney-led meta-analysis combined data from 57 cohort studies involving more than 160,000 adults across 13 countries. Researchers found that increasing step counts from very low levels – around 2,000 per day – to 7,000 resulted in a 47% reduction in the risk of early death. Additionally, it was linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression, and falls.
The benefits of walking appeared to plateau around 7,000 to 9,000 steps per day for most health outcomes, with little additional gain from walking beyond 10,000 steps. For example, dementia risk dropped by 38% at 7,000 steps and only slightly more – 45% – at 10,000 steps.
The study is significant in part because it undermines the widely popular 10,000-step target, which originated not from science but from a Japanese marketing campaign in the 1960s. The new research suggests that a more modest daily walking goal may be sufficient for most people to reap major health benefits.
Co-author Dr Katherine Owen added that while walking more is still positive, the health returns diminish after the 7,000-step mark: “For most people, the biggest improvements in health come from moving from being inactive to moderately active.” The researchers also emphasized that even small increases in daily step count – say from 2,000 to 4,000 – offer real improvements in health outcomes.
Importantly, the benefits were consistent across ages, sexes, and global regions, making the advice applicable worldwide. Experts say the message is clear: walking just a bit more each day – even if you don’t hit 10,000 steps – can dramatically improve your health and longevity.