How Walking Helps Older Women Live Longer
Association between frequency of meeting daily step thresholds and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease in older women
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
This study looked at how often older women walk a lot in a day and whether it helps them live longer and stay healthy. It found that even walking 4,000 steps just 1–2 days a week helps, but what really matters is how many steps they take overall each day.
Surprising Findings
Walking frequency doesn’t independently protect against death or heart disease once total steps are accounted for.
Many believe that regular, daily activity is inherently healthier — like 'weekend warriors' being at a disadvantage. This study shows that’s not necessarily true for step-based activity.
Practical Takeaways
Aim for around 7,000 steps per day on average — it doesn’t matter if you hit it every day or just a few times a week.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
This study looked at how often older women walk a lot in a day and whether it helps them live longer and stay healthy. It found that even walking 4,000 steps just 1–2 days a week helps, but what really matters is how many steps they take overall each day.
Surprising Findings
Walking frequency doesn’t independently protect against death or heart disease once total steps are accounted for.
Many believe that regular, daily activity is inherently healthier — like 'weekend warriors' being at a disadvantage. This study shows that’s not necessarily true for step-based activity.
Practical Takeaways
Aim for around 7,000 steps per day on average — it doesn’t matter if you hit it every day or just a few times a week.
Publication
Journal
British Journal of Sports Medicine
Year
2025
Authors
R. Hamaya, Kelly R. Evenson, Daniel E. Lieberman, I-Min Lee
Related Content
Claims (5)
Walking every day — even if it's just regular walking, not exercise — is linked to living longer for older women.
If women in their 60s or older walk at least 4,000 steps just one or two days a week, they tend to live longer and have fewer heart problems compared to women who don’t walk that much at all.
If older women walk more steps each day—like 5,000 to 7,000 or more—even just a few days a week, they tend to live longer, and the more often they hit those step goals, the better their odds.
For older women, how many steps they take each day matters more for heart health than how often they hit 4,000 steps in a day.
For older women, it’s not how often you hit step goals during the week that matters most—it’s the total number of steps you take every day that really counts for staying healthy and lowering the risk of heart problems or early death.