Overview

• A Lancet Public Health meta-analysis of 57 studies covering over 160,000 adults found 7,000 steps a day cut all-cause mortality by 47% and cardiovascular risk by 25%.
• Health benefits begin at just 2,000 to 4,000 steps daily with the greatest additional gains plateauing beyond 7,000 steps.
• A Vanderbilt University cohort study shows that 15 minutes of brisk walking each day reduces mortality risk by nearly 20% independent of total step count.
• The 7,000-step threshold also corresponds to lower risks of cancer (6%), type 2 diabetes (14%), dementia (38%), depression (22%) and falls (28%).
• Public health experts recommend retiring the 10,000-step convention in favor of attainable step targets paired with intensity metrics in new guidelines.