The 7,000-step sweet spot for health

A systematic review of 57 studies finds 7,000 daily steps is where health benefits peak, with lower risks of early death, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression, and falls; gains begin around 2,000–4,000 steps and plateau after ~7,000. For best health, aim for about 7,000 steps a day and add strength training twice weekly; pace matters too, since more vigorous activity delivers greater benefits in less time, and minutes of activity can yield similar health gains to steps.