From the Board of Health

New Data on Health and Exercise

7000 steps a day is a worthy goal

Increasing from 2000 to just 5,000 steps/day can dramatically improve blood sugar, BP, inflammation and mental health.

Increasing to 7000 steps/day:

• 45% reduction in all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality
• 38% reduction in the risk of dementia and cancer mortality
• 25% reduction in the risk of falls or the onset of CV disease
• 20% reduction in symptoms of depression

The idea of 10,000 steps as a goal originated from a marketing campaign (!) in Japan. The Japanese symbol for 10,000 looks like a person walking, but there was no scientific basis for this.

Exercise increases BDNF:

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein that plays a crucial role in the development, survival, and function of nerve cells (neurons) in the brain. It is essential for synaptic plasticity, which is the brain's ability to change and adapt in response to experience, and is vital for learning and memory. BDNF also helps regulate eating, drinking, and body weight.

Bottom line: movement is good! You don’t need 10,000 steps, just get moving.

Posted: to Board of Health on Tue, Jul 29, 2025
Updated: Tue, Jul 29, 2025