Can you walk your way to lower dementia risk?

A new study suggests that 7,000 steps a day may decrease the odds of developing dementia by nearly 40%.

The research, published in The Lancet, compared the higher step count with a 2,000-step baseline and found numerous health benefits, which included a 47% less likelihood of death and a 28% decreased chance of falls, to name a few.

“Although 10,000 steps per day, an unofficial target for decades without a clear evidence base, was associated with substantially lower risks for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease incidence, cancer mortality, dementia, and depressive symptoms than 7,000 steps per day, the incremental improvement beyond 7,000 steps per day was small…” the study states, noting that 7,000 steps may “be a more realistic and achievable target for some.”