01/01/2026
A meta-analysis found that walking 7,000 steps a day compared to 2,000 steps resulted in:
20% lower risk of all-cause mortality
38% lower risk of dementia
25% lower risk of cardiovascular disease
22% lower risk of depression symptoms
The lion’s share of benefits kicks in at 3,000 steps and starts to taper off after 7,000 steps
At a brisk pace of 120 steps per minute (well associated with longevity, along with grip strength and VO2 max), it takes only 58 minutes
The commonly cited 10,000 steps per day originated from a 1965 Japanese marketing campaign for a pedometer called the Manpo-kei. It was promoted for decades without actual evidence.
A study on sitting time and accelerated aging in women found that aging markers were:
42% worse when sitting 4-6 hours per day
67% worse when sitting 6-8 hours per day
107% worse when sitting 8+ hours per day
If you exercise at the beginning of the day, then spend 8 hours not moving, you see very little meaningful improvement in fitness