A new international study has found that walking just 7,000 steps a day may offer big health benefits, including lowering the risk of dementia, depression, cancer, and even early death.
Published in The Lancet Public Health, the study looked at data from 88 different reports between 2014 and 2025. It included over 1.6 lakh adults from around the world. The research was led by experts from the University of Sydney and other institutes in the UK, Spain, and Norway.
Researchers found that walking 7,000 steps daily lowered the risk of early death by 47%. It also reduced the risk of dementia by 38%, depression by 22%, heart disease by 25%, and type 2 diabetes by 14%. People walking 7,000 steps were also 28% less likely to suffer from falls and had a slightly lower chance (6%) of getting cancer.
The results suggest that 7,000 steps might be a more achievable daily goal for most people than the widely recommended 10,000 steps. The authors said this step goal is especially helpful for those who are less physically active but still want to improve their health.
However, the study also warned that results for diseases like cancer and dementia came from fewer studies, so the level of certainty is lower. Some earlier studies didn’t consider factors such as a person’s age or frailty, which could affect the accuracy of results.
The researchers wrote, “Compared to walking 2,000 steps, doing 7,000 steps daily lowers the overall death risk by nearly half and reduces many health risks.”
Even with some limits in the available data, the message is clear: you don’t need to run a marathon to stay healthy. Simply walking more every day — especially reaching around 7,000 steps — can be a powerful tool to improve both physical and mental health.
In short: More steps each day can lead to a longer, healthier life.
Also Read: World Brain Health Day 2025: Tips for a Sharper Mind
