Overview
- A Nature Medicine analysis following 296 older adults for up to 14 years found that higher baseline step counts correlated with slower cognitive decline and slower tau accumulation in people with preclinical Alzheimer.
- Apparent benefits began around 3,000 steps per day and were stronger near 5,000–7,500 steps, with little additional effect estimated beyond roughly 7,500.
- Participants wore pedometers for one week at the start, underwent annual cognitive testing, and received repeated PET scans for amyloid and tau at specified follow‑ups.
- The study reported no link between step counts and amyloid levels, and coverage notes that non‑step activities and changes in activity over time were not measured.
- Independent experts recommend regular, enjoyable activity—often citing 5,000–7,000 daily steps—while emphasizing the results are associative and suggesting exercise as a low‑risk complement to limited antibody therapies such as lecanemab.