A new study led by Melody Ding, an epidemiologist at the University of Sydney, challenges the long-standing belief that 10,000 steps a day is the ideal target for health benefits. That’s the big picture. The deep dive. The population-based research examined 57 studies involving more than 160,000 adults. It went beyond heart health and overall mortality risk – areas traditionally studied – to look at a greater variety of health outcomes.
The study found that walking 7,000 steps daily offers substantial health benefits and may serve as a more achievable benchmark for many individuals. Participants were given step-counting devices such as fitness trackers. Rather than a “one size fits all” solution, the researchers note that each health improvement increased with each additional 1,000 steps taken—most notably for conditions like type 2 diabetes.
Key Findings on Daily Steps
Dr. Katherine Owen, who contributed to the research, asserted that for a broad range of health outcomes, “we found 7,000 steps was the optimal number.” The results indicate that there are additional improvements associated with walking more than 7,000 steps per day for certain outcomes such as heart disease. The truth is, the majority of us do not need to hit this former, outdated target of 10,000 steps.
The study’s results indicate that taking 10,000 steps daily may lead to a 7 percent greater reduction in the risk of dementia compared to walking just 7,000 steps. The increase in risk of all-cause mortality between people who walked 7,000 steps and those who walked 10,000 steps was negligible. As Owen noted, “the benefits start to plateau around 7,000 steps.”
The academic work reiterates the idea that “lower numbers are still better,” said UBC Professor Kim Bennell. He highlighted the importance of setting realistic goals: “People are more likely to stick to it if they feel they can achieve it.”
Implications for Public Health
Melody Ding and her team have been in regular touch with the federal government. Collectively, they want to leverage these results to help revise Australia’s national physical activity guidelines. Through this joint partnership we hope to inspire and excite more people to get active, breaking it down with simple, realistic goals.
“As Ding explained, “Seven thousand steps is a good target because it’s associated broadly with a wide range of health benefits.” That would be a huge step forward in advancing public health efforts. It creates an opportunity to truly make physical activity more feasible for people who can’t always meet such ambitious goals.”
The study’s findings may particularly resonate with those who have been deterred by the traditional goal of 10,000 steps a day. Ding reinforces this notion by stating, “For those who are not very active or doing nothing, doing something is still good for you.” This inspires people to adopt walking as the everyday, do-able exercise that can help achieve better health results.
Broader Health Benefits
The study addressed a wide range of health outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, cognitive decline, and mental health. The findings point to a clear need to take more comprehensive action to ensure better health outcomes. The goal should be increasing all impacts of physical activity, not concentrating only on meeting every goal of achieving 10,000 steps.
Professor Kim Bennell supports this perspective by asserting that “the general message is you don’t need to be necessarily doing 10,000 steps to get benefits.” Instead of concentrating on a misleading, one-size-fits-all goal like 10,000 steps, efforts should be aimed at encouraging more movement through the day.
