Walking 7,000 steps a day may be enough to reduce the risk of cancer, dementia, and heart conditions — challenging the long-held belief that 10,000 steps are needed, a new study shows. While taking more than 7,000 steps continues to lower the risk, the rate of reduction slows beyond that point. The findings highlight the value of moderate daily activity: all-cause mortality dropped by nearly half among those walking 7,000 steps per day compared to just 2,000, and even 4,000 steps per day showed health benefits over very low activity levels.