6 New Research Findings About Walking That Are Worth Knowing in 2026

What’s new in walking research? In this episode we explore six recent research findings on daily step counts, walking patterns, sedentary time, green spaces, healthy aging, and the surprising effects of setting walking goals. 

Discover what scientists are learning, what the findings mean for your everyday walks, and how new technology is helping researchers better understand the way we move. Because even something as familiar as walking still has a lot to teach us.

Link to resources used in this episode

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Welcome to Why Walking Matters, The Science Explained. I'm Tatiana, your Walking Matters. And I'm glad you're Science Explained. Tatiana, your host. Welcome back. And I'm glad you're here. If you're a new listener, welcome to the podcast. Welcome back. And if you're a new listener, we're looking at you. Welcome to the podcast. Six research findings. Today published in 2025 and 2020. Published in 2025 and 2020. How much we walk. New insights. What are we walking? How much we mean for our health. What our walking habits might be. If you've been listening to this for our health, you know that we've already needs to be. How walking can whether it's possible to walk through too much stages of life. And how walking can about different questions we've already tackled. Revisiting questions we've tackled. Newer just for the sake of it adds to our understanding. It's about looking at what new fascinating. It's ordinary activity. We can easily understand ordinary activity. Usually do because we can underestimate. Usually do. We walk to get places. We walk, we walk all the time. We walk everywhere around the grocery store. We walk to get places. We walk because we need a break from sitting out around the grocery store. And we need a break from sitting at a desk. Continuing to uncover important connections between these everyday movement. Important connections are physical between mental health. These everyday movements. Some of today's findings reinforce our physical and mental health. Some of today's findings reinforce about the way we accumulate raise the environment we walk in. About the way we accumulate the benefits of walking environments we walk in different. And whether we ate the benefits of walking, as always, different. I'll explain what the research actually found, what it means in everyday life. I'll explain what the research actually found in everyday life conclusions. The evidence doesn't work. Where we need to be careful. Setting out during your lunch break, so whether you're listening without your morning walk, sitting down during your lunch break, or starting. Sitting down with a cup of coffee. Finding started. 7,000 steps may be a more useful target than 7,000 steps may be a more useful target of 2025. This research study was published in 2025. To all sources used in our episodes. Let's begin for the number many of us have a description or show. It's become almost active. It's become almost synonymous. It's a question I get all the time. Podcasts squeeze in those last few thousand. Some of us check our forefed time a day. But where does that leave someone with the last few thousand forebedtime? Five thousand. But where does that leave someone? Should they feel that they've fallen short? Five thousand. Or six review should they feel that they've fallen systematic review and response meta analysis systematic review and dose response. The research analysis examined 57 studies from 35 cohorts. The researchers looked at the relationship between daily cohorts and the range of the relationship including between dead cardiovascular disease and the range of diabetes, dementia, cardiovascular disease, can type 2 diabetes, premature dementia, depression. The researchers found that many in premature health benefits were many important benefits were associated. Compared with people taking around 7,000 steps. Compared with people taking around 7,000, 2,000 steps. Had an estimated from any cause. Lower risks of the researchers also found associated with depressive symptoms of cardiovascular disease now. Depressive symptoms a 47% lower risk now doesn't mean that walking 7,000% lower risk longer doesn't mean that every individual will experience the same benefit. Or every individual combine experience the same benefit. And people who find more can make different conservations from those who walk less. And people who walk more ways may differ less meaningful in other important ways. The benefits of walking don't suddenly begin when you reach 10,000 steps. The benefits of walking suddenly begin the relationship between steps and for several hours nonlinear. The relationship between step benefits were not necessarily step. The benefits were not necessarily equal appeared to level step at higher step. Some benefits to level off that seven higher steps could be a achievable target. Some people could while still being more associated with an achievable target with substantial health benefits while still being assessed. Does this mean for us with substantial health benefits? I think it gives us permission to stop treating 10,000 as a pass or fail treatment. I think it gives us permission 3,000 steps as a pass or fail tree. Increasing that number gradually average maybe a more useful goal. Increasing that number gradually may be a more useful goal if you already tried to 10,000. You don't necessarily need to feel your day successful, you don't necessarily need to reach a higher number. That your day was successful because you didn't circumstance matter. Your needs isn't simply circumstances. Did I hit my target? The real question isn't. Am I finding ways to move more consistently? It's in a way that works for my life. And important. In a way that works for my life. I know that's new research. That's an important. I think it's great that a lot it aligns more. I know that's new to research that. But I read some time ago. It aligned. My step target. When I changed my target for 7,000. Okay. And find the number two. For me, it may matter how you accumulate your steps. Okay. Find the number two just how many you take. It may matter how you look at something how many counter doesn't always tell us. Our second steps are distributed throughout the encounter doesn't always take how those steps are distributed throughout the day. One person takes short walks moving throughout the day. One person takes several days sitting moving throughout the day. Takes one longer walk in the evening. Most of the day sitting have the same total number. One longer walk in the evening. Could the pattern make the same total number of steps? A study published in the Journal of Sports Pattern Sciences make a difference. A study investigated the Journal of Sports Science. By looking in 2020, daily steps investigated this question about by looking at total daily steps mortality. Walking, a walking bout in this study, all cause mortality. A walking lasting at least 10 minutes meant a period of lasting at least from 2,765. The researchers analyzed data who participated 700 in the national health nutrition examination survey. In the national health nutrition was about examination survey. And the researchers followed mortality was about 49. Over and average. The researchers followed mortality outcomes over an average. Both higher total step counts and found more steps accumulated in total step counts and more steps accumulated in walking back. Importantly, were association between mortality accumulated in bounds. Importantly, and mortality accumulated for total daily steps. Pattern of walking for total daily steps to offer information beyond the total number of steps to offer information. Here's the important part beyond the total number of steps. This was an observational study. But here's the important relatively small thing. This was an observational study. We cannot establish using a relatively deliberately taking walks of 10 minutes or longer established by deliberately taking 10 minutes or longer. We also shouldn't interpret it as evidence reduced mortality. We also shouldn't interpret it's still evidence that total activities are worthless. And other research supports short walks still contributing to total activity. And other results supports the raise and interesting things regularly. Might we benefit from this study then for both everyday interesting and might we benefit from making room for both everyday and some sustainable. Instead of choosing between taking practical way to think about it, going for a longer walk. Instead of choosing between taking walk for five minutes going for a longer walk. Take the stairs when walk for five minutes after a period of sitting. When your schedule allows stairs when practical. When your schedule allows every walk, go for a 10 or 20 minute walk. And you don't have to organize the entirety of workout around your step counter. You don't have to reorganize your entire opportunities around your movement counter that fit naturally into your routine. To create opportunities for movement naturally into your routine. Perhaps the better question is whether your day gives all you enough steps need to happen in one continuous walk. Including to move. Walk for sustained walk may offset some of the things associated with walking more may not offset some of the risks. Let's move from how we accumulate steps, but not also we spend much of the day sitting. Let's move from how we've got to do that. For many people, what happens isn't something much of the day sitting. We sit while working for many people driving sitting isn't something they can simply watch television. We sit while working using our eating television exercise using computers. May spend a substantial portion of their week exercise regularly. May spend a substantial portion of Nature Communications on April 7th. A study published in Nature Investigation. And the development of sedentary time, daily stuff, the researchers and the development of chronic diseases data linked to health records used from the all of us researching programs linked to how analysis included all of us research adults. With activity information examined as selected over between sedentary time and 12 examined associations, including sedentary time, diabetes, 12 primary high blood pressure, cardiovascular obesity, high depression, cardiovascular. The researchers found kidney disease sedentary time was associated with researchers found with a higher risk sedentary time was as also found with a higher higher disease. Were associated with lower risk that higher delay all 12 conditions were associated with lowerly interesting was their attempt to estimate additional steps my attempt to estimate excessive additional steps associated with spending 14 hours sedentary rather than eight spending 14 hours. Estimated numbers rather than eight hours. Estimated number very 1,700 additional steps for obese for diabetes to around 2500 pulmonary diabetes or chronic obstructive disease. Additional steps did not fully assess that additional associated did not prolong fully sedentary time assessed risk for coronary artery disease. Let's be careful coronary disease or heart failure. These are estimates observational analysis. Not prescribed estimate from an observational. They don't tell us that a person prescribed target can simply take a specific hours. The findings also don't allow that consequences caused every observer. Both are activities and our sentence and requirements deserve attention. Both our activities how much exercise should I get deserve attention. Perhaps we should ask. We often ask how can I exercise completely. Perhaps we should ask. How can I do with my day completely? If you work at a desk, consider what can we do with this into transitions that already exist. If you work at a desk, consider building while making transitions that already exist in your between meetings. Walk while making it all practical if you have a long meeting. Consider where you might safely incorporate. These small opportunities may not look impressive on their own. These small opportunities can help you move. And they can help this as another route the day to feel guilty about. Please hear this job as another reason. Caregiving abilities or many people have conditions that limit their options. Caregiving responsibilities is to find health conditions that limit their options. To make movement a more regularistic ways to make movement, finding number regular part. The place where you walk may influence how you feel. Finding number four. I feel like we talked about the step part. The place where you walk may influence how you feel. Let's shift from the number of steps. I feel like we talked about the environment in which we take them. Let's shift from the number of steps to a parked environment. You may have noticed from walking beside a body. You may have noticed that the experience how much of that difference can walk actually measure. Examined health effects this year of walking in different urban environments. Examined the researchers included of walking by different interventions environments. Comparing different researchers included such intervention green spaces. Comparing natural environments, built-up environments. Such as park had less greener. They looked more physiological environments and psychological had less greenery. They looked at physiological positive feelings, blood pressure, including anxiety and positive feelings. Blood analysis found heart walking in natural environments was associated. Analysis found significantly greater natural environments and lower associated than walking in significantly greater positive effect and positive anxiety refers to social environments. Feeling happy. Positive refers to experiences such as the researchers have also found enthusiastic walks of interest 1.5.5 kilometers in natural environments. However, that distance roughly 1 to 1.5 every measure. However, the review did not significant difference every measure between environmental. The review did not several out and significant differences. Blood pressure several hours cortisol cognitive heart rates. So the findings don't at a park walk will always reduce stress. So the fact that walking on a setup sidewalk has no value. Evidence suggests that walking on a city side setting has no influence certain evidence of our psychological experience. The setting may influence effects depend on our outcome of the psychological experience. And but the conditions of the walk depend on the being measure. And the walk, we often think about that time or pace. The route pleasant experience. Is it noisy? Do we feel safe? Pleasant? Can we walk without pleasing? Is it noisy navigating safe or obstacles? Can we walk without placemently navigating traffic? Because a walk isn't just a line on a map. It's an walking experience just with a line on a map. And then this isn't only experience wellness with our whole body. It's relevant to how communities decide wellness issue. It's relevant to how communities decide to walk more. Parks we need spaces where walking space is practical if we want people to walk more and enjoy it. We need spaces where walking advantage is practical. When you have a choice, experiment with different walking advice. Here's a takeaway. Try a few street, experiment with different walking advice. Waterfront path. Try another street that feels comfortable to you. A waterfront path notice how you feel and after that feels comfortable to you. You don't really need a forest or feeling benefit from walking. You don't really need to live in an area without access to green benefits from walking. That isn't a personal. If you live in an area without highlight access to green and pleasant walking environments, are highlights for everyone. Safe and pleasant walking environments. Finding number five are important for everyone continues to be associated with health benefits. Walking continues to be associated with every health benefits as we age. Our fifth finding focus is everything. When we talk about exercise, our fifth finding that it needs to be vigorous. When we talk about exercise, we may imagine an assumption that it needs to be elevated heart count. And a certain brisk fitness elevated heart count. What does the evidence say about people who walk at a comfortable? What does the evidence say a systematic review and meta analysis published in the American review motion meta analysis of 2026 in the American Habitual Walking in May and Health 2026 amongst the examined habitual walking 65 health outcomes among Involving a combined of more than involving seven thousand total of more than three hundred and six examined seven broad range of outcomes. Including mortality examined disease broad range of outcomes, disease, psychological health, and physical function in their psychological health and physical function. The researchers found that each conditional daily associated each additional with a 13,000 daily lower risk of associating any cause with a 13. They also found lower risk. The association remained similar. In analyses that the accounts remained similar. Let's be proud of it. In analyses, this doesn't mean that walking pace never matters. This doesn't mean that walking pace never matters. We'll reduce individuals by exactly 30%. The researchers noted analysis substantial variants among the inclined. The researchers noted healthier substantial variants may be able to walk more among the inclinedness or declining healthier function may be able to make walking more difficult. Illness or declining physical functions. Findings support about healthy aging. The findings does support a useful message about healthy aging. For one person doesn't need to be a breath for every 30-minute loop around. A walk might be a slower around the shopping, or it might be a slower to the mailbox. Around the shopping center. It can be meaningful ways of familiar movement into daily life. Can be meaningful ways as we get older. Walking can be as we get older. It can help us to maintain independence. Get to places we need to go. It can help us to make time with other people and get to places. Spend time with two remain connected communities. Walking is the only component of healthy aging. Of course. Walking is not the only component strength of healthcare. Adequate exercises, muscle strengthening care, all have adequate nutrition and not to discuss walking more in. Simply because it's slow. The evidence gives us another reason not to increase simply because start with the amount and pace that are appropriate for you. Practical takeaways. If you want to increase your amount of appropriate for you, pay attention if you want to step on it gradually if there's pain how your body response. Or other health concerns if there's affects your walking balance problems or other health that affect your walking. The goal is not to walk someone else tailored to your sustainable goal is not to walk like someone else. It's to find a sustainable way for final finding. Finding six. A daily step goal may affect than your physical activity. A daily step goal lets me affect your target. But look at it from a different angle. We've talked about how many steps might be. What happens when people are actually setting courage to change only steps how much they move? The setting a goal might change only other aspects of how much they experience. Or might randomize other aspects. Randomized 192-day university students experiment, examined the effects of 195 university, 10 students. Examined effects. Here's the adoption of the study 10,000 steps. Just goal last month from Twitch Study 6 published just last month is widely accepted. Such as the 10,000 step benchmark is widely accessible and popularized. This target has received wided experimental testing. However, for its psychological limited behavioral effects. Addressing this gap conducted a randomized behavioral effect between subjects. Addressing this 14-day trip. On well-being, adopting a cognitive 10,000 step walking goals on well-being. Participants in the intervention condition were instructed to walk 100%. Participants in the intervention condition received nudges 10,000 steps daily. Controls were weightless daily online nudges received no reminders. Controls 10,000 steps. The intervention lower negative effects between condition effects failures for lower negative procrastination. Fewer cognitive significant and less favorable post-assessment significant cognition and post self-regulation and well-being, this study highlights the potential self-regulation. This goes highlights the potential of scalable strategies for shaping behavior and scalable strategies for shaping behavior, particularly in psychological outcomes. The researchers were weren't only looking for activity. The researchers also investigate whether a structured walking goal are also investigating how particular whether a structured walking goal and how they manage influence everyday tasks. Oh, we still need to keep this and how they manage everyday tasks. It was a short and we still need to keep this involving university students. It was a short long-term trial involving university students. The intervention included trial as well as the step targets. So the intervention included reminders alone step targets produced. We can't assume that the number 10,000 gains isn't enough to establish long-term changes in mental health. Isn't enough to establish long-term changes in mental health? The study illustrates an important possible behavior. Walking goals may be. The study illustrates and not only positive they encourage movement. Walking goals only because they encourage movement. But also because intention provides structure. For some people and a step goal can be motivated. Intentional can be motivated. The difference may be dependent on how it can become another source of pressure. Instead of treating how we use it, it determines whether you've had a success a little more than you otherwise. You might choose a target. And encouraging target used to be 5,000. A little more than you. I raise it to 7,000 after reading some of my target used to be 5,000. I find an achievable target that makes me feel successful. It's an achievable target that makes me rather than a number, a walk after breakfast. You could also focus on a routine rather than a number. A walk after breakfast. The goal should support your life. Or a shot makes you feel as though you're dinner failing. The goal should support your life. And if tracking steps causes anxiety or becomes difficult to maintain. And if tracking steps causes anxiety or becomes useful, a phone watch author can be a useful tool. It does authority on whether you want a useful tool. We've covered quite a bit of ground. So what do these six findings tell us? We've looked at research suggesting that quite 7,000 daily steps may be associated. We looked at research approximately 6,000 daily steps, maybe accumulating steps of social health benefits in sustained walking weather accumulated steps. May provide additional information beyond total. We examine some how not of the risks walking associated with prolonged sitting. Some, but not all. We considered how the environment influenced our emotional experience. We considered how the environment may influence our emotional experience. Including findings that evidence aging walk quickly. And finally, may consider a study well-being that aspect a structured everyday behavior may influence and don't give us one person everyday walking. I think they're reminding us. Our health are different. Our routines that works for one person's ability may not work for another. First, but we can take it. You don't have to reach 10,000 steps every day. While also making room for sustained walks for opportunities to move throughout the day. Third, while also making room. Remember that walking statewalks when you doesn't necessarily eliminate every risk. Remember that walking prolonged sitting doesn't necessarily eliminate every risk. Consider your walking environment. Consider your walking environment that feels safe and finally and accessible. Don't underestimate the value of walking at your own pace. And finally, and building a routine underestimate that you can pace one last reminder. And building a routine. Many of these findings come from observational research. One last they tell us about associations. Many of these findings come from observational research. They don't tell us about associations between walking and health. That's why it's important to look at always evidence rather than treating one study. That's why it's important to look at the whole body of evidence. Science advanced rather than treating one study as the first time. Researchers ask questions, science through this. Examine results, researchers and feel questions of what came before. And examine results as familiar as of what came before. There is still something as familiar as well. As we wrap up today, I'd like you to think about one question to learn. Not because you feel you should. Is there something with the way you're walking work better for you? Not because you're finding a root you enjoy walking work. Maybe it's getting up from your desk a little bit more finding a route you enjoy. Maybe it's letting go it's getting up from your desk a little more stressful than how much. Maybe it's letting go for me. I think I have to become more stained into the world. I think I'd be able to add more sustained bouts of walking into your deli. Simply recognize that the walking you're already doing, you simply recognize that you're already doing away from today's episode. As much as we already from today's episode, as much as we already need to wearable monitoring device, including wearable. Measure how much we move. Are giving researchers how we accumulate new ways throughout the day to measure how much we move. How our how we accumulate our relationship over time. And how every day some of the questions are healthy today may look different. That means some of the questions available today, we may discover new patterns as more evidence available or we may discover new patterns. Recommendations need to find what we individualized than we once believed. That recommendations need to individually interesting than we once believed. It's not a collection of things. That's one of the things I find so interesting. It's an ongoing process. It's not a collection of checks that never changes. Gathering evidence, it's an ongoing as we learn more. Gathering evidence with something as updating our understanding as we learn more as important as walking more. With something as still plenty to discover. I'll continue following and sharing what it means for us here. I'll continue why walking matters. The SAC research. And sharing what it means for us. I'd love to hear your thoughts on today's walking matters. You can find the podcast.com where you can find in touch and explore more reading matters.com about walking. Where you can also get in here. This episode gave you some more reasons for us. Think about this about please consider sharing it. If this is someone who appreciates it, think about a fresh presentation. With someone who might appreciate it. Leaving a rating or review helps other people discover it. And if you enjoy this video, leaving a rating or review helps other people discover it. Until next time, keep walking. Thank you for spending every step matter. I'm Tatiana. Until next time, and this is why every step matters. I'm Tatiana. See you on the next walk. Is why walking matters. The science explained. See you on the next walk.