Is walking alone enough to stay healthy?

Walking is the most accessible form of exercise for many South Koreans, and nearly half of adults practiced it in 2025, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s Community Health Survey.

Brisk walking counts as moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. It can improve aerobic fitness, strengthen the heart and lungs, and help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

There is no need to reach 10,000 steps a day to gain health benefits. A large meta-analysis published in The Lancet Public Health in 2025 found that people who walked 7,000 steps daily had a 47% lower risk of death than those who walked 2,000 steps. Researchers also observed substantial benefits for cardiovascular disease, dementia and type 2 diabetes. Beyond 7,000 steps, additional improvements were limited.

The article asks whether walking alone can replace other forms of exercise. For people whose goal is basic health maintenance, it says walking can provide considerable benefits. The supplied text ends as it begins to discuss what walking alone may not cover.