Professor Melody Ding

“Our research helps to shift the focus from perfection to progress. Even small increases in daily movement can lead to meaningful health improvements,”

Professor Melody Ding · said date not stated · reported 2025-07-25

Professor Ding concludes that physical activity guidance should prioritize progress over perfection.

“However, for those who cannot yet achieve 7,000 steps a day, even small increases in step counts, such as increasing from 2,000 to 4,000 steps a day, are associated with significant health gains.”

Professor Melody Ding · said date not stated · reported 2025-07-25

Professor Ding notes that even small incremental increases in daily steps offer substantial health gains.

“Aiming for 7,000 steps is a realistic goal based on our findings, which assessed health outcomes in a range of areas that hadn’t been looked at before.”

Professor Melody Ding · said date not stated · reported 2025-07-25

Professor Ding explains the realistic benchmark provided by the study's findings on daily step counts.

“We know daily step count is linked to living longer, but we now also have evidence that walking at least 7,000 steps a day can significantly improve eight major health outcomes – including reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and depressive symptoms,”

Professor Melody Ding · said date not stated · reported 2025-07-25

Professor Ding highlights evidence linking 7,000 daily steps to improvements across major health outcomes.