The figure of 10 000 Not per day is so anchored in the spirits that it seems to be sunk in marble. And yet, this threshold does not come from science, but from a Japanese advertising campaign of 60s. Good news for everyday walkers: a vast study shows that aiming 7 000 Not per day is enough to lasting your health lastingly.
Published on July 23, 2025 in the scientific journal Lancet Public Health, this meta-analysis screened 57 Studies on more than 160,000 people. She shows that walking 7 000 not per day decreases by almost 50 % the risk of premature death, all causes combined, compared to a threshold of only 2,000 steps. The results confirm that the profits are tangible, even with moderate activity and without sporting performance.
Why walk 7,000 steps really make the difference?
Daily walking, even slow, turns out to be formidably effective against chronic diseases and weight loss. The site Le Figarowhich relays the conclusions of this study, recalls that researchers have also observed a drop in 38 % the risk of dementia, 22 % for depression and 14 % For diabetes. Falls would also be reduced by 28 %, even if the data remains limited on this subject.
For the first time, researchers have highlighted a rocking point. “The most important gains occur from 7000 steps, beyond, they tend to stabilize”, explains Paddy Dempsey, co-author of the study and medical researcher at the University of Cambridge. “It is not necessary to reach 10,000 steps per day to have major benefits for your health”, he said again.
A realistic objective, even for the less sporty
In an article devoted to this meta-analysis, the site Our time Insists on a fundamental message: walking 7,000 steps every day is within everyone’s reach, without excessive constraint. It only takes a simple routine to pick up the bread on foot, take a few steps after a meal or program a ride to approach it gradually. The idea is not to aim for an unattainable ideal, but to integrate walking into everyday life, without pressure.
Researchers encourage personalized, even modest progression. “If you only do 2,000 to 3,000 steps a day, try to add 1,000: this represents only 10 to 15 minutes of light walking spread over the day”, recommends Paddy Dempsey. This new objective can therefore constitute an important advance against sedentary lifestyle, more motivating and less guilty than the arbitrary threshold of the 10,000 steps.
7000, a CAP reachable for sustainable health
Contrary to popular belief, you should not aim for perfection to obtain results. The study highlights the interest of rethinking public health messages, long focused on high, sometimes discouraging standards. By making the target more attainable, it opens the way to a physical activity Sustainable, motivating and beneficial for everyone.