Daily Walks of 7,000 Steps May Maintain Healthcare Distance
News Article: Walking 7,000 Steps a Day Boosts Health Benefits
A new study published in The Lancet Public Health has revealed that walking 7,000 steps a day can deliver significant health benefits, including a 47% reduction in the risk of death from all causes. This step count is found to produce similar benefits as the previously recommended 10,000 steps but may be a more achievable target for many people.
The comprehensive study, which analyzed data from 57 studies across more than 10 countries, found that even modest increases in daily step counts, such as from 2,000 to 4,000 steps, improve health outcomes. The benefits level off after around 7,000 steps for most conditions.
The study's statistical models revealed that benefits typically increase the more you walk, but gains begin to plateau after about 7,000 steps for most outcomes. This includes a 25% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, a 38% lower risk of dementia, a 22% lower risk of depression, a 28% lower risk of falls, and a 14% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The findings also suggest a 37% lower risk of dying from cancer.
Dr. Daniel Bailey, a sedentary behavior expert, stated that small increases in physical activity, such as doing an extra 1,000 steps per day, can deliver health benefits. Dr. Melody Ding, a professor at the University of Sydney and lead author of the study, suggested that for those far from achieving the 10,000-step target, getting to 7,000 steps a day offers almost comparable health benefits.
The study's most powerful message is that walking isn't just about longevity or lab values, but about building a daily habit that's measurable, motivating, and doable. Jon Stride, a 64-year-old from Dorset, England, who walks daily after a heart attack, emphasizes that the benefits of walking extend beyond just longevity or lab values, focusing on mental wellbeing.
The evidence for cadence (steps per minute) was too limited to inform stepping rate recommendations. However, the researchers stress that the quality and intensity of the steps matter, but walking speed did not consistently predict outcomes across all conditions.
The findings hold across a broad range of devices and age groups and continents. The new 7,000-step benchmark, according to public health experts, could help bridge the gap between what people should do and what they can do. A daily stroll of 30 minutes (approximately 4,000 steps) offers substantial health benefits. Moving from 7,000 to 10,000 steps per day slightly increased the risk reduction of death to 48%.
In conclusion, the study provides strong evidence that walking 7,000 steps a day can lead to substantial health benefits, making it a realistic and achievable target for many people. The study is bigger and more nuanced than previous efforts, exploring a broader range of conditions such as cancer incidence and mortality, type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline, depressive symptoms, and falls.
- The new study published in The Lancet Public Health revealed that even improvements in daily step counts, such as from 4,000 to 7,000 steps, significantly contribute to better health outcomes, including a 25% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and a 14% lower risk of dying from cancer.
- The health-and-wellness advantages of walking 7,000 steps a day go beyond longevity or lab values, extending to mental wellbeing, as stated by Jon Stride, a 64-year-old from Dorset, England, who walks daily after a heart attack.
- Moving from vigilant adherence to the previously recommended 10,000 steps a day to the more achievable 7,000 steps per day slightly increases the risk reduction of death to 48%, indicating the potential benefits of adopting the new 7,000-step benchmark for fitness-and-exercise and overall health.
