Are 7,000 steps a day enough to see health benefits?

25-07-2025

A lot of people focus on getting 10,000 steps a day for its purported health benefits. A new study says that walking for only 7,000 steps a day can help reduce a person's risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, cancer, depression, and all-cause mortality. Scientists also discovered that walking around 4,000 steps a day still offers more health benefits than people with very low activity and about 2,000 steps a day.For the last few years, there has been an emphasis placed on accumulating 10,000 steps a day to stay healthy. Many people use fitness trackers such as Fitbits, Garmin smartwatches, or Apple Watches, or smartphone apps like Google Fit or Apple Health to track their daily steps. Past research has linked walking at least 10,000 steps a day to a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, obesity, and mental health issues. Now, a new study recently published in the journal The Lancet Public Health says that walking for only 7,000 steps a day can help reduce a person's risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, cancer, depression, and all-cause mortality. Scientists also discovered that walking around 4,000 steps a day still offers more health benefits than people with very low activity and about 2,000 steps a day.Why focus on daily steps? For this study, researchers conducted a meta-analysis of studies conducted between 2014 to 2025 from 35 cohorts from PubMed and EBSCO CINAHL — including more than 16,000 adult participants — to look for correlations between step counts and eight specific outcomes: all-cause mortalitycancercardiovascular diseasecognitive outcomesfallsmental health outcomesphysical functiontype 2 diabetes'While we already know physical activity benefits health, public guidelines focus on total minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week, usually 150 to 300 minutes,' Melody Ding, PhD, professor in the Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health at The University of Sydney in Australia, and corresponding author of this study, explained to Medical News Today. 'However, many people track their activity by steps, a simple and accessible metric, but the popular 10,000-steps-a-day goal isn't actually based on solid evidence. Our review sought to clarify how many steps per day are linked to meaningful health benefits,' she said. Walking 7,000 steps per day lowers 7 types of health risksUpon analysis, researchers found that study participants who walked about 7,000 steps each day were associated with a lowered risk for: all-cause mortality by 47%cancer by 6%cardiovascular disease by 25% dementia by 38%depression by 22%falls by 28%type 2 diabetes by 14%'This study is important because step-counting devices are becoming so widely available that the general public wants to know what they should aim for,' Ding said. 'We know physical activity is beneficial for health, but it is generally harder for the general public to track how many minutes of activities they do every day (because the activities can be of short bouts and be incidental), therefore, it is critical for us to provide such needed evidence. The finding is important for informing future health guidelines and physical activity promotion strategies, setting goals and targets for individuals, etc..' she said.Walking 4,000 vs. 2,000 steps per dayAdditionally, Ding and her team found that study participants who only achieved a modest step count of about 4,000 steps per day still had better health outcomes than participants who had very low activity at about 2,000 steps a day. 'Increasing step counts from 2,000 to 4,000 or 5,000 is still associated [with] health benefits, even if one doesn't achieve 7,000,' Ding explained. 'It is important, particularly for motivating those who are extremely inactive.' 'Any increase in daily steps, even modest ones like 4,000 steps, delivers health benefits compared to very low activity levels. When possible, targeting around 7,000 steps per day can substantially reduce risks for many chronic diseases and adverse health outcomes.'— Melody Ding, PhD'Higher step counts beyond 7,000 may add extra benefits, but the improvement rate slows,' Ding added. 'Still, if you're already very active and consistently hitting 10,000+ steps, keep it up — there's no need to cut back.' A more achievable daily step goal MNT spoke with Nissi Suppogu, MD, a board certified cardiologist and medical director of the Women's Heart Center at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, CA, about this study.Suppogu commented that this study is looking at overall steps — not necessarily steps during exercise, but steps throughout the day — making it an even easier target to achieve. 'Understanding the role of physical activity in health outcomes plays an important role in motivating patients to do something entirely on their own,' she explained. 'We need to continue to empower the patients with knowledge and evidence about physical activity. Physical activity, or steps in this case, is something they can do at home, in their yard, on their street, in the office, by a park or path. They don't have to make time or pay to go to a gym. There are no excuses. All you need to do is just get up and move!' The new daily walking goal'Understanding that a modest 2,000 steps a day affects their health and every additional step to getting to 7,000 steps daily yields significant benefits for several health outcomes. That knowledge can affect their attitude, as 7,000 steps seems more achievable than 10,000 steps daily — a magic number for health benefits when really it has no significant clinical evidence to support this pervasive claim.' — Nissi Suppogu, MDActivity does not have to be overly strenuous to be beneficialMNT also spoke with Kanwar Kelley, MD, JD, a triple board certified in otolaryngology head and neck surgery (ENT), obesity medicine and lifestyle medicine, and co-founder and CEO of Side Health in Orinda, CA, about this research.'This study confirms what we have been recommending, that physical activity is important for overall longevity and health,' Kelley said. 'It also confirms that the activity does not have to be overly strenuous. We can observe benefits and decrease risk from participating in activities that do not require specialized equipment or a gym membership.' 'The more we can reinforce the message, the better,' he continued. 'Conducting this type of research enables everyone, from individuals to medical practitioners and lawmakers, to develop treatment plans and programs centered on these lifestyle interventions.''Researching a variety of activities will allow individuals to choose from different physical activities and remove barriers to participation. When research shows the significant benefits of physical activity on longevity, it raises overall awareness of just how important it is to our overall health span,' Kelley added. 'This study provides evidence that there is a dose-dependent relationship with physical activity (walking in this case). There were some differences in how much different populations would benefit from the prescribed 7,000 steps. Identifying specific step ranges can help create customized care plans tailored to a person's age, health, and physical fitness. However, there is a benefit from any increase in physical activity and it should continue to be recommended for all populations.' — Kanwar Kelley, MD, JD

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Warning issued for common artificial sweetener that can interfere with cancer treatments

The Independent

2 minutes ago

The Independent

Warning issued for common artificial sweetener that can interfere with cancer treatments

A popular sugar substitute may interfere with certain cancer treatments, according to new research. The University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center have released new research suggesting that using sucralose — a popular sugar replacement used by those trying to lose weight or manage their blood sugar levels — may make it harder to the body to respond to certain cancer treatments. According to the research, patients with melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer who consumed high levels of sucralose responded worse to immunotherapy and had worse survival rates than individuals whose diets had low levels of the artificial sweetener. The research also revealed a potential pathway for counteracting the potential negative effects of sucralose. The researchers found supplements that boost the levels of amino acid arginine actually counteracted the negative effects of the sweetener on immunotherapy treatments in mice. That approach could be pursed in further clinical trials to see if it can be used in humans. Doctor Abby Overacre, assistant professor in the Department of Immunology at the University of Pittsbugh and UPMC Hillman said in a statement that finding ways around forcing dietary changes is a worthwhile course of action, especially for cancer patients who are already dealing with the burden of the disease. 'It's easy to say, 'Stop drinking diet soda,' but when patients are being treated for cancer, they are already dealing with enough, so asking them to drastically alter their diet may not be realistic,' she said. 'We need to meet patients where they are. That's why it's so exciting that arginine supplementation could be a simple approach to counteract the negative effects of sucralose on immunotherapy.' The study, which used testing on mice, found the negative effects were potentially caused by disruption to gut bacteria by the artificial sweetener. It found that sucralose caused a shift in the composition of the gut bacteria in mice which allowed for an increase in bacteria that degrade arginine. The increased arginine resulted in reduced levels of the amino acid in blood, tumor fluid, and stool. 'When arginine levels were depleted due to sucralose-driven shifts in the microbiome, T cells couldn't function properly,' Overacre said. 'As a result, immunotherapy wasn't as effective in mice that were fed sucralose.' Diwakar Davar, associate professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and a medical oncologist and hematologist at UPMC Hillman, was a collaborator on the study and noted that the negative effects of sucralose was consistent across a range of treatments for a variety of cancer types and stages. He said that prebiotic supplements could theoretically be developed specifically for cancer patients with high levels of sucralose in their blood to help mitigate the negative effects. The researchers hope to pursue a clinical trial to determine whether or not boosting arginine through supplements will counteract the effects of the sucralose. They also plan to expand their research to look at the effects of other artificial sweeteners — such as aspartame, saccharin, xylitol, and stevia — on the immune system and on cancer treatments.

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Reuters

3 minutes ago

Reuters

Trump administration blocks funding for CDC health programs, WSJ reports

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Warning over common sweetener that could make cancer treatment less effective

Daily Mail

34 minutes ago

Daily Mail

Warning over common sweetener that could make cancer treatment less effective

A common artificial sweetener loved by millions weakens the effects of cancer treatments. University of Pittsburgh researchers discovered that sucralose, a zero-calorie sweetener, reduced immunotherapy effectiveness in melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer patients. Initially developed in the 1970s for people with obesity and diabetes to sweeten food while avoiding blood sugar spikes, sucralose, more commonly known as Splenda, has become ubiquitous. It's used in over 4,500 foods and drinks, including diet sodas and low-calorie foods. In the US, it accounts for 30 percent of the sweetener market. Cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy, which boosts the immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells, may reach for a diet soda or sugar-free baked good, believing they're making a healthy choice. However, sucralose kills some good bacteria that reside in the gut while allowing harmful strains to grow, impacting the body's ability to digest foods and break down fiber, train immune cells to fight pathogens, make vitamins like folate and B12, produce serotonin, and reduce inflammation. Senior author Dr Diwakar Davar, an oncologist and hematologist at UPMC, said in a statement: 'We found that sucralose impeded the effectiveness of immunotherapies across a range of cancer types, stages and treatment modalities. 'These observations raise the possibility of designing prebiotics, such as targeted nutrient supplementation for patients who consume high levels of sucralose.' The team used mouse models, some with lung cancer and some with melanoma, to test how sucralose altered their microbiomes, finding that the sweetener disrupted the delicate balance. This reduced key amino acids such as arginine, which are needed to fuel immune cells. It also led to dysfunctional CD8+ T cells, critical for fighting cancer, and blunted the effects of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, a class of cancer treatments that includes popular medicines Keytruda and Opdivo. Lead author Dr Abby Overacre, an immunology professor at Pitt and UPMC Hillman, said: 'When arginine levels were depleted due to sucralose-driven shifts in the microbiome, T cells couldn't function properly. 'As a result, immunotherapy wasn't as effective in mice that were fed sucralose.' To assess the relevance of these findings for humans, they questioned 132 advanced cancer patients, including 91 people with melanoma and 41 with lung cancer, about their sucralose intake, as well as 25 people at high risk of their melanoma recurring. People reported drinking diet sodas, using the artificial sweetener in coffee and tea, and eating low-calorie snacks sweetened with it. A high amount of sucralose was considered anything above 0.16 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. For a 155-lb person, that's less than a single packet of Splenda. People with melanoma and lung cancer who consumed at least that much sucralose had a 3.2 times higher risk of their cancer progressing faster, as well as less tumor shrinkage in response to immunotherapy. People at risk of melanoma recurrence who drank or ate at least that much sucralose had a higher risk of their cancer returning after surgery and immunotherapy and fewer signs of a strong immune response to tumors. Experiments in mice revealed that disruption to the microbiome due to sucralose was the driving force behind alterations in their cancer-fighting T cells, which were starved of the crucial amino acid arginine. When scientists transplanted feces from sucralose-fed mice into untreated mice, the latter exhibited a similar poor immune response to immunotherapy. But when scientists supplemented their low levels of arginine using the amino acid citrulline, commonly found in melons, pumpkins, and legumes, T cells regained their cancer-killing ability, reversed their resistance to immunotherapy, and their tumors shrank. Their findings were published in the journal Cancer Discovery. Dr Overacre said: 'It's easy to say, 'Stop drinking diet soda,' but when patients are being treated for cancer, they are already dealing with enough, so asking them to drastically alter their diet may not be realistic. 'We need to meet patients where they are. That's why it's so exciting that arginine supplementation could be a simple approach to counteract the negative effects of sucralose on immunotherapy.' The researchers hope to launch a clinical trial investigating whether citrulline supplements, which boost arginine levels more than arginine itself, affect the gut microbiome and anti-tumor immune response in patients.