A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has shown some wonderful news specifically for older women. Consistent walking at 4,000 steps a day yields impressive health returns! The study was led by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. They looked at changes in walking speed among more than 13,000 women aged 62 and older across an 11-year follow-up period.
The findings indicate that women who walk at least 4,000 steps on three or more days each week can lower their risk of death by up to 40%. Not to mention that, this much physical activity can lower the risk of developing heart disease by 27%. This new research underscores the idea that it doesn’t take much walking to make a meaningful difference in your health. It implies that you can bank steps during your day to get these benefits.
Study subjects wore activity trackers for seven days, giving scientists an unprecedented look at the variety of people’s walking habits. As few as 4,000 steps per week—taken just once or twice a week—provided remarkable benefits for women. They increased their overall survival chance by 26% and decreased their risk of developing heart disease by 27%. Those who reached beyond 7,000 daily steps experienced a significant 32% reduction in their mortality risk. They received a remarkable 16% lower risk of dying from heart disease.
As Dr. Narula, one of the researchers who worked on this year’s study, told us, we need to make walking “a part of daily life.”
“It’s really about building it into your daily lifestyle and you have to be mindful of it.” – Dr. Narula
He went on to advocate actionable tactics that would help people build more movement into their day.
“If you have an office, get up and walk during lunch for 10 minutes, have your meetings on the phone and walk around the block.” – Dr. Narula
These insights provide a clear message: engaging in regular walking can significantly enhance overall health and well-being for older women. Encouraging basic lifestyle adjustments can find people maximizing their daily step counts with little effort. They won’t have to work out like Olympians to do it!
