Do we really need 10,000 steps a day?

New research is challenging the long-standing belief that you need to walk at least 10,000 steps — or about 5 miles — a day to stay healthy.

The analysis, published in The Lancet Public Health, found that walking just 7,000 steps a day may provide protection against a range of diseases, including cancer, dementia and heart disease. It was recently featured in Health.

“Every step counts, especially when it comes to reducing risk for all adults from cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and depressive symptoms,” said Mladen Golubic, MD, PhD, a professor of clinical family and community medicine at the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine and medical director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC.

The new analysis adds to a growing body of evidence that any movement is better than none, and that even shorter bursts of activity can keep your heart, brain and lungs strong and healthy.

Researchers analyzed 57 studies including more than 160,000 adults around the world.

Compared to people who walked 2,000 steps a day, those who took 7,000 daily steps — or roughly 3.5 miles — experienced a wide range of health benefits, including:

• 38% lower risk of dementia
• 25% lower risk of cardiovascular disease
• 22% lower risk of depressive symptoms
• 14% lower risk of diabetes
• 6% lower risk of cancer
• 28% lower risk of falls
• 47% lower risk of death
• 47% lower risk of dying from heart disease
• 37% lower risk of dying from cancer

The team also found that taking 4,000 daily steps, which equates to nearly 2 miles, was associated with a 36% lower risk of death, compared to 2,000 steps.

Read where the 10,000 steps goal came from originally.

Featured image at top: Students walk along MainStreet on UC's main campus. Photo/University of Cincinnati.