NEW STUDY: Walking 7,000 Steps Daily Cuts Risk of Death, Cancer Death, Heart Disease, Dementia, Depression & Diabetes

Landmark meta‑analysis of nearly 1 million people finds walking reduces death risk by almost half and protects against many major diseases.

Nicolas Hulscher, MPH Aug 05, 2025 EST

A new peer‑reviewed study titled, Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis, published in The Lancet Public Health, has delivered the most comprehensive answer yet to the question: How many steps a day do we really need for better health?

This largest and most comprehensive synthesis to date included meta‑analyses of data from 24 cohorts across eight major health outcomes, drawing from nearly one million participants worldwide. Researchers mapped the precise relationship between daily step counts and risks for all‑cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression, and falls—making it the most detailed look yet at how walking impacts long‑term health.

They found that while 10,000 steps offers extra protection for some outcomes, significant health benefits start much earlier—and 7,000 steps/day delivers the bulk of the risk reduction for most conditions:

KEY TAKEAWAYS

At ~7,000 steps/day compared with 2,000 steps/day:

• 47% lower risk of dying from any cause — HR 0.53 (95% CI 0.46–0.60) | 14 studies
• 25% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease — HR 0.75 (0.67–0.85) | 6 studies
• 47% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease — HR 0.53 (0.37–0.77) | 3 studies
• 6% lower risk of developing cancer (not statistically significant) — HR 0.94 (0.87–1.01) | 2 studies
• 37% lower risk of dying from cancer — HR 0.63 (0.55–0.72) | 3 studies
• 14% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes — HR 0.86 (0.74–0.99) | 4 studies
• 38% lower risk of developing dementia — HR 0.62 (0.53–0.73) | 2 studies
• 22% lower risk of developing depressive symptoms — HR 0.78 (0.73–0.83) | 3 studies
• 28% lower risk of having a fall — HR 0.72 (0.65–0.81) | 4 studies

DOSE–RESPONSE INSIGHTS

• Benefits start as low as 3,000–4,000 steps/day — even small increases from sedentary levels bring measurable health improvements.
• Risk reductions plateau for some outcomes around 7,000 steps/day, meaning extra steps bring smaller gains for certain conditions.
• For all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, dementia, and depression, benefits keep increasing toward 10,000+ steps/day.

CONCLUSIONS

• Every step matters—even small increases from low activity levels can deliver measurable health benefits.
• 7,000 steps/day is an achievable and highly effective target for most adults, linked to substantial reductions in the risk of death, chronic disease, and functional decline.
• 10,000 steps/day can provide extra protection for certain outcomes—such as dementia, cancer mortality, and depression—and is a worthwhile goal for those able to sustain it.

This landmark analysis reinforces that daily movement is one of the most powerful, low‑cost tools we have to lower the risk of multiple leading causes of death and disability.

Nicolas Hulscher, MPH

Epidemiologist and Foundation Administrator, McCullough Foundation

www.mcculloughfnd.org