September 2025 Newsletter

Dear friends

I hope you’re having a beautiful and fun summer. Although, I have to say I’m a little sad how quickly it’s gone by.

In our May 2024 newsletter, titled ‘10,000 Steps a Day: Fact or Fiction,’ I addressed the fitness target of walking 10 000 steps a day to keep the doctor away. It apparently began as a 1960s Japanese marketing campaign for a pedometer, and quickly went viral even in the pre-internet era.

In that newsletter I asked whether walking 10 000 steps a day had a positive impact on health, and it does. In a 2022 publication—Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts—researchers analyzed 15 studies, with start dates between 1999 and 2018 and found higher quartiles of steps per day were associated with a reduced risk of mortality.

But, 10 000 steps add up to almost 5 miles and would take me, at a rapid pace, approximately 1.5 hours to cover. That’s a good chunk of time, even if some of those steps are done while going about my normal day.

I was thrilled to read this recent Aug 2025 study, Daily steps and health outcomes in adults, in the Lancet where the researchers did a systematic review of multiple studies for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease incidence, dementia, and falls.

What they found was a reduction in these parameters, with inflection points at around 5000–7000 steps per day.

Compared with 2000 steps per day, 7000 steps per day was associated with:

• A 47% lower risk of all-cause mortality
• A 25% lower risk of cardiovascular disease incidence
• A 47% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• A 6% lower risk of cancer incidence
• A 37% lower risk of death from cancer
• A 14% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
• A 38% lower risk of dementia
• A 22% lower risk of depressive symptoms an
• A 28% lower risk of falls

But what about 7000 steps compared with 10000 steps a day?

Well, they found step counts exceeding 7000 steps per day were associated with moderately further lower risks for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease incidence, cancer mortality, dementia, and depressive symptoms compared with 7000 steps per day.

Their conclusion was, “Although 10 000 steps per day can still be a viable target for those who are more active, 7000 steps per day is associated with clinically meaningful improvements in health outcomes and might be a more realistic and achievable target for some.”

Why does walking more result in better health?

The answers may be fairly obvious.

• Heart health: Walking gets your blood pumping, reducing the risk of heart disease. It lowers blood pressure and improves circulation. Your heart will thank you!
• Mood Booster: Physical activity releases the feel-good hormones, endorphins. A daily walk can reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. Hello, happy vibes!
• Weight Management: Walking helps burn calories and can aid in maintaining or losing weight. Plus, it revs up your metabolism.
• Brain Power: Regular walking improves cognitive function and memory. It even lowers the risk of cognitive decline and diseases like Alzheimer’s.
• Social Steps: Walking is a fantastic way to bond with friends, family, or doggy companions.

How do I include more steps in my day?

Some activity is better than no activity

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking. But you don't have to jump feet-first into the 150-minute goal. Start where you are and gradually increase your activity week by week.

Those 150 minutes a week can be divided in many different ways. Some people aim for 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. Others fit in 10 minutes of exercise several times a day.

If your walking pace isn't speedy enough to qualify as moderate-intensity exercise, you can build up the intensity slowly over weeks or even months. In fact, adding any regular activity to your routine is beneficial.