How many times have you heard that 10,000 steps is a guarantee of a long and happy life; Well, a comprehensive study published earlier this year dares to challenge it. So how many steps do you really need? The answer is good news for the lazy among usFor years we've heard that 10,000 steps a day is an absolute benchmark -- a daily goal that supposedly guarantees a long and healthy life. But a comprehensive study published earlier this year in The Lancet Public Health challenges that familiar narrative. Researchers at the University of Sydney argue that even walking just 7,000 steps a day is enough to significantly reduce the risk of death, dementia, diabetes and depression, and health benefits emerge even at lower step counts.