7,000 is the new 10,000, new step-count study suggests

Good news for anyone falling short of 10,000 steps a day – you might not need that many after all.

A new study, published today (24 July) in The Lancet Public Health, revealed that just 7,000 steps a day – about 5km of walking – could be the magic number for reducing your risk of disease and early death.

The study analysed 57 previously published studies covering 125,000 adults worldwide, making it the most comprehensive review of its kind.

It found that while 10,000 steps a day remains a solid goal for more active individuals, adults can still gain significant health benefits from as few as 7,000 steps a day.

University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) Professor Stuart Biddle, a co-author of the paper, said the findings could play a key role in shifting people’s exercising habits.

“Although 10,000 steps a day is a popular benchmark, these results are encouraging for those who find that number unrealistic or hard to maintain,” Professor Biddle said.

“Over half of Australians aren’t getting enough physical activity, often citing lack of time as the main reason for skipping regular exercise.

“And for some, the pressure to hit 10,000 steps feels so out of reach that they give up entirely, rather than adjust their target because they believe fewer steps won’t offer meaningful health benefits.”

Using a meta-analysis, the researchers found that increasing your daily step count from 2,000 to 7,000 was linked to a significantly lower risk of several major health issues, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, dementia, depression, and even early death. In some cases, the risk was reduced by up to 40 per cent.

Professor Biddle, an expert in sedentary behaviour and physical activity, said the study provided important new evidence that could inform future physical activity guidelines, public health tracking programs, and interventions.

He also emphasised that while 7,000 steps may be the new benchmark for health benefits, even modest increases in daily steps could lead to considerable improvements to overall health.

“One of the best advantages of a walking routine is that you can get your steps in almost anywhere,” he said.

“To increase your daily step count, consider opting for the stairs rather than the elevator, or parking your car further from your destination. It is important to remember that every little bit counts.”

The study, ‘Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis’ was led by Professor Melody Ding from The University of Sydney.