Struggling to meet that 10,000-step goal on your fitness tracker each day? Here’s some good news: A major new study from the University of Sydney has found that walking just 7,000 steps daily offers nearly the same significant health benefits as walking 10,000 steps. This groundbreaking research presents a more attainable goal for those who find it difficult to meet traditional exercise targets, making it easier for you to improve your health, one step at a time.

Key Takeaways:

• A More Attainable Goal: Walking 7,000 steps daily provides almost the same reduction in the risk of early death and dementia as hitting the more challenging 10,000-step target.

• Significant Health Benefits: Increasing your daily steps helps protect against major health conditions like heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and depression.

• Every Step Counts: The study shows health benefits start to appear when you increase your daily steps from as low as 2,000 to the 5,000–7,000 range.

• Strong Evidence: This new recommendation is backed by the largest review of its kind, analyzing 57 studies from over ten countries, providing solid scientific backing for the findings.

The Science Behind the Steps

Where does this new number come from? Researchers, led by Professor Melody Ding at the University of Sydney, conducted a massive review of 57 studies published between 2014 and 2025. These studies included data from people in Australia, the USA, the UK, Japan, and other countries, providing a thorough global analysis. The research specifically examined how increasing daily step counts affected a person’s risk of serious health problems, from heart disease to dementia.

What 7,000 Steps Can Do for You

The results were striking. The study found that walking 7,000 steps a day reduced the risk of early death by an impressive 47%, offering nearly the same benefit as walking 10,000 steps. In terms of brain health, the risk of dementia was reduced by 38% at 7,000 steps, with only a small additional 7% benefit when increasing to 10,000 steps. While additional steps (such as 10,000 or 12,000) may offer further advantages—such as a continued decrease in the risk of type 2 diabetes—the most significant health gains for most people occurred right around the 7,000-step mark.

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Progress, Not Perfection: A New Mindset for Fitness
According to the researchers, this study should encourage a new perspective on daily physical activity. Professor Ding emphasizes that the focus should be on “progress, not perfection.” Instead of feeling discouraged by the pressure of an all-or-nothing 10,000-step goal, you can shift your mindset to simply moving more each day. Dr. Katherine Owen, another researcher involved in the study, mentions that while 10,000 steps is an excellent target for those who are already active, the extra health benefits beyond 7,000 steps are minimal for most people. The key takeaway is that any increase in daily movement can result in real, measurable health benefits.

Conclusion

This landmark study recalibrates our daily fitness goals, presenting 7,000 steps as a powerful, scientifically-backed target for improving long-term health. It reminds us that we don’t need to aim for perfection to make a profound difference in our well-being. Based on this compelling evidence, researchers are already collaborating with governments to update official exercise guidelines. So, the next time you glance at your step count, remember that every step you take is a step toward a healthier life.