Your daily walk might be the best medicine you are ignoring!

Every step you take might just be a step away from disease, decline, or even death. That is the compelling message emerging from a landmark study published in The Lancet Public Health. Forget the intimidating 10,000-step myth. As few as 7,000 steps a day can significantly cut your risk of dying early, developing heart disease, diabetes, dementia, or suffering from depression.

Researchers found that benefits from walking do not demand athletic stamina. In fact, most health gains start showing around 4,000 steps—a mere 30 to 40 minutes of daily activity. But 7,000 steps seems to be the sweet spot, dramatically lowering the risk of cardiovascular incidents by 25% and heart-related deaths by a staggering 47%.

Interestingly, the rate of walking (pace) also mattered to some extent. Faster walking for just 30 minutes a day showed additional mortality risk reduction, though the link was not uniform across all health outcomes.

For countries like Bangladesh—where urban congestion, rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and sedentary lifestyles are taking a heavy toll—this research should ring alarm bells. It is time for city planners, employers, and health policymakers to stop ignoring walkability. Investing in safe footpaths, green walking trails, and awareness campaigns around walking could pay back in public health dividends.

Each step you take is not just a move forward—it is a move toward a healthier, longer life.

The writer is the founder & CEO of Nutrition For Change. E-mail: [email protected]