Older women can significantly reduce their risk of early death by walking just 4,000 steps a day, new research suggests.
Crucially, this benefit, which slashes the chance of premature mortality by more than a quarter, applies even if the steps are accumulated only once or twice a week.
The study highlights that the total volume of steps taken, rather than the number of days they are spread across, is the primary factor in lowering death rates and mitigating the risk of heart disease.
This finding challenges the widely accepted benchmark of 10,000 steps daily, with experts concluding there is “no ‘better’ or ‘best’ pattern” for achieving health benefits through walking.
They said moving is important and “individuals can undertake physical activity in any preferred pattern.”
The study found that, compared with women who were fairly sedentary, those who achieved 4,000 steps per day on one or two days a week had a 26 per cent lower risk of death from any cause and a 27 per cent lower risk of heart disease.
