Walking Weekly Can Boost Heart Health In Older People, Study Finds
A Harvard University study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that walking 4,000 steps a day just once or twice a week can significantly reduce the risk of early death and heart disease in older women. The study tracked 13,547 women aged 62 and older over more than 10 years, revealing a 26% lower risk of death and a 27% lower risk of heart disease for those who met the step count. The findings emphasize the importance of total walking volume rather than frequency, although the study's observational nature limits definitive conclusions.
A new Harvard University study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that even walking 4,000 steps a day just once or twice a week can lower the risk of dying early or developing heart disease.
The study tracked 13,547 U.S. women aged 62 and older, who wore activity trackers for a week between 2011 and 2015. Researchers then followed them for more than 10 years. During that time, 1,765 women died and 781 developed heart disease.
Those who walked at least 4,000 steps a day once or twice a week had a 26 percent lower risk of death from any cause and a 27 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease, compared to those who never reached that step count.
If participants reached 4,000 steps on three or more days a week, their risk of death from any cause dropped even more, while the risk of heart-related death stayed at 27 percent.
The researchers said the key message is that the total amount of walking matters most, not how many days you do it.
However, since the study was observational and only included women, the findings show a strong link but don't prove cause and effect.
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