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Walking just 7,000 steps a day could be enough to drastically lower the risk of major health conditions, including cancer, dementia, heart disease, and depression, according to a major study published in The Lancet Public Health. Contrary to the popular belief that 10,000 steps is the golden number, researchers found that a more achievable target still delivers powerful health benefits. For many, this revelation could be a motivating and realistic alternative to improve longevity and well-being without the need for intense workouts or gym memberships.

Why 7,000 steps is a game-changer

The 10,000-step goal popularized by fitness trackers originated from a Japanese marketing campaign in the 1960s. However, it wasn’t based on scientific research. The recent global analysis reviewed data from over 160,000 adults and showed that walking 7,000 steps daily reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease by 25%, dementia by 38%, depression by 22%, and cancer by 6%, compared to those who walked just 2,000 steps.Regular walking supports brain health by improving blood flow, reducing inflammation, and promoting the release of mood-boosting endorphins. It also strengthens the heart by helping to control blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and support weight management, which are key factors in reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Why less can be more: the plateau effect

Interestingly, researchers noted that benefits tend to level off beyond 7,000 steps. While walking more can bring additional heart health perks, those who fall short of 10,000 steps should not be discouraged. Even a modest increase in daily steps, from 2,000 to 4,000 or more, offers measurable health improvements.

A realistic goal for everyday life

Unlike structured workouts, walking can be incorporated into daily routines through commuting, running errands, or taking breaks at work. The 7,000-step benchmark is more attainable for older adults, people with busy schedules, or those new to exercise. It also encourages a shift in focus from perfection to consistency.Health experts agree that while step counts are a useful motivator, the real goal is simply to move more. Whether it is 4,000 or 7,000 steps a day, every step counts. For many, aiming for 7,000 could serve as an effective and evidence-based way to improve long-term health outcomes without feeling overwhelmed by unreachable targets.

Children whose mothers had higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy scored better on tests of memory, attention and problem-solving skills at ages 7 to 12 compared with those whose mothers had lower levels. That is a key finding of a new peer-reviewed study that my colleagues and I published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

While vitamin D has long been known for its role in maintaining bone health, scientists have since uncovered its importance in regulating immune function, reducing inflammation and protecting the nervous system. Now, growing evidence – including our new findings – suggest it may also support brain development beginning in the womb.

My team and I found that the link between prenatal vitamin D levels and childhood cognition was strongest among Black families, who also face higher rates of vitamin D deficiency.

This suggests that vitamin D supplementation may be a promising, low-cost strategy to support brain development while reducing racial disparities. Our study also suggested that vitamin D levels early in pregnancy may be most important for childhood cognitive development, highlighting the importance of early action by health care providers.

Related: Your Prenatal Supplements Probably Aren’t What You Think They Are

We analyzed more than 900 mother-child pairs across the U.S. who participated in a large national study called ECHO, short for Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes. We measured vitamin D in the mothers’ blood during pregnancy and assessed children’s cognitive abilities using a standardized test battery.

We also accounted for other important factors that shape childhood development such as the mother’s education, neighborhood conditions and the child’s age and sex.

This new study builds on our earlier findings that higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy are linked to higher IQ in early childhood and with reduced behavioral problems in middle childhood.

Collectively, these studies suggest that vitamin D plays a crucial role in brain development during pregnancy, with lasting benefits for children’s cognitive and behavioral outcomes.

Why it matters

Vitamin D deficiency is a common global problem.

In the U.S., about 42% of adults have vitamin D levels below 20 nanograms per milliliter, or ng/ml, a commonly used cutoff for deficiency. About a third of U.S. pregnant women are deficient, and the rates are even higher among Black pregnant women, with 80% found to be deficient.

This racial difference is partly due to differences in skin pigmentation, as melanin pigment reduces the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight.

Although we can get vitamin D both from sun exposure and our diets, deficiency is common because these sources don’t meet everyone’s needs. Sunlight isn’t always a reliable source, especially for people with darker skin, those living in northern climates or those who often wear sunscreen or sun-protective clothing.

Natural food sources such as fatty fish, egg yolks and certain mushrooms contain some vitamin D, and fortified products such as milk and breakfast cereals help, but not everyone eats enough of these foods to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.

That’s why supplements are often necessary and are recommended in many cases by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Although current guidelines recommend that pregnant women consume 600 international units, or IUs, of vitamin D daily, higher doses of at least 1,000 to 2,000 IU are often needed to correct deficiency.

On average, U.S. women consume only 168 IU from food and beverages, and many prenatal vitamins provide just 400 IU. This highlights an important opportunity for clinicians to improve screening and support around vitamin D supplementation both before and during pregnancy.

If a simple, low-cost strategy such as prenatal vitamin D supplementation can help support brain development, it may yield lasting benefits for children. Long-term studies have shown that higher cognitive scores in childhood are linked to better memory and reasoning in older age, as well as longer lifespan.

What still isn’t known

While our studies have linked higher vitamin D levels in pregnancy to improved cognitive and behavioral development in children, we cannot yet prove that vitamin D is the direct cause.

Therefore, studies called randomized controlled trials – the gold standard of research – are needed to confirm these findings and determine how best to translate them into clinical practice.

These studies will be essential for determining the optimal target levels for vitamin D to support brain development in pregnancy.

The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

Melissa Melough, Assistant Professor of Nutrition Science, University of Delaware

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.