A new global study suggests that walking just 7,000 steps a day may significantly lower the risk of several major health problems — challenging the long-standing belief that 10,000 daily steps is the magic number.

Published in The Lancet Public Health, the research reviewed data from more than 160,000 adults across various countries. It found that walking 7,000 steps was linked to a notably lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, dementia, and depression when compared to individuals who averaged only 2,000 steps a day.

Lead author Dr. Melody Ding noted that the widely accepted 10,000-step goal has no scientific foundation. “We have this perception we should be doing 10,000 steps a day,” she said. “But it’s not evidence based.”

The 10,000-step target traces back to a 1960s advertising campaign in Japan that introduced the "manpo-kei," or "10,000-step meter," ahead of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Despite its origins in marketing rather than medicine, the number stuck and has since become a standard on most fitness trackers.

According to the new findings, walking 7,000 steps a day was associated with a 25% lower risk of heart disease, 6% lower cancer risk, 38% reduction in dementia risk, and a 22% drop in depression risk. The researchers added that even walking 4,000 steps showed benefits over extremely low activity levels.

While further benefits may still be seen beyond 7,000 steps — especially for heart health — the study emphasized that aiming for this more achievable step count can still make a meaningful impact.