A 2009 study found an association between daily step count and depression in women. Women who walked at least 7,500 steps a day had a 50% lower prevalence of depression than those who were sedentary. This study considered anything below 5,000 steps per day as “sedentary”.
So does this mean if you walk 7,500 steps/day everything is going to be fine? No, of course not. Ultimately what’s right for you is going to be determined by where you are now and where you want to go.
The path to get you there should be guided by the conversations and interactions with your healthcare provider. However, if you don’t know where to begin or you don’t currently have a health care provider and you want some initial guidance to get going, this study indicates that 7,500 steps per day is a great initial target.
These data come from a study that was originally published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.