Walking 7000 Steps Per Day Reduces Risk of Chronic Diseases, Cognitive Decline

New research is shedding light on the potential health benefits of taking ≥ 7000 steps per day, highlighting decreased risks of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cognitive outcomes, mental health outcomes, physical function, and falls.1

Study findings support the use of daily step count as a practical metric for physical activity guidelines and recommendations. Compared with very low activity, even modest step counts were linked to better health, and for some conditions, health benefits continued to increase beyond 7000 steps.1

“We know daily step count is linked to living longer, but we now also have evidence that walking at least 7000 steps a day can significantly improve 8 major health outcomes - including reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia and depressive symptoms,” lead author Melody Ding, PhD, MPH, an associate professor at Sydney School of Public Health, said in a statement.2

To examine the relationship between the average daily numbers of steps taken and health outcomes, investigators conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of literature published between January 2014 and February 2025 obtained from PubMed and EBSCO CINAHL. Eligible prospective studies examined the relationship between device-measured daily steps and health outcomes among adults without restrictions on language or publication type.1

Health outcomes of interest included all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cognitive outcomes, mental health outcomes, physical function, and falls. In total, the systematic searches for these 8 outcomes yielded 57 studies from 35 cohorts.1

Of these studies, 21 (37%) were based on participants in the USA and 32 (56%) were based on general adult samples, while the remaining 25 (44%) focused on older adults (mean age ≥65 years). The most frequently assessed outcome was all-cause mortality (n = 25; 44%) followed by cardiovascular disease (incidence or mortality; n = 14; 25%) and the least assessed were cancer (n = 4; 7%), cognitive outcomes (n = 4; 7%), and falls (n = 4; 7%).1

Investigators called attention to an inverse non-linear dose-response association for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease incidence, dementia, and falls, with inflection points at around 5000–7000 steps per day. Further analysis revealed an inverse linear association for cardiovascular disease mortality, cancer incidence, cancer mortality, type 2 diabetes incidence, and depressive symptoms.1

Based on meta-analyses, compared with 2000 steps per day, 7000 steps per day was associated with a 47% reduced risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.53; 95% CI, 0.46–0.60; I2=36.3), a 25% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease incidence (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.67–0.85]; I2=38.3%), a 47% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease mortality (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.37–0.77; I2=78.2%), a nonsignificant 6% reduced risk of cancer incidence (HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.87–1.01; I2=73.7%), a 37% reduced risk of cancer mortality (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.55–0.72; I2=64.5%), a 14% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.74–0.99; I2=48.5%), a 38% reduced risk of dementia (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.53–0.73; I2=0%), a 22% reduced risk of depressive symptoms (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.73–0.83; I2=36.2%), and a 28% reduced risk of falls (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.65–0.81; I2=47.5%).1

Post-hoc analysis revealed elevated step counts, particularly those exceeding 7000 steps per day, were associated with lower risks of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease incidence, cancer mortality, dementia, and depressive symptoms compared with 7000 steps per day. However, investigators noted step counts beyond 7000 steps per day did not show statistically significant differences in risk reduction compared with 7000 steps per day for cardiovascular disease mortality, cancer incidence, type 2 diabetes, and falls.1

“For people who are already active, 10,000 steps a day is great,” study co-author Katherine Owen, PhD, a biostatistician at Sydney School of Public Health, said in a statement.2 “But beyond 7000 steps, the extra benefits for most of the health outcomes we looked at were modest.”

References

1. Ding D, Nguyen B, Nau T, et al. Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. The Lancet. doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(25)00164-1

2. University of Sydney. Rethink the 10,000 a day step goal, study suggests. EurekAlert! July 23, 2025. Accessed July 29, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1092159