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According to a new study, older women do not have to take 10,000 steps a day to gain health benefits. The researchers found that women who took an average of 4,000 steps a day lived longer than women who took less. ( Julita | pixabay )
Doing 10,000 steps a day is a benchmark for physical activity, but new research has shown that it's not for everyone.
A team of researchers has evaluated the benefits of walking on the health of older women. They discovered that for some at least, doing 10,000 steps a day could be excessive.
A few thousand steps a day could reduce the risk of premature death
In the study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the researchers monitored the overall health of approximately 17,000 women aged 62 to 101 years. All participants were asked to carry motion follow-ups that counted each step and speed for at least seven consecutive days. The researchers also collected data on diet, lifestyle and medical history over the four-year follow-up period.
They found that the number of daily steps is closely badociated with mortality risk. The study found that the risk of premature death was 41% lower among older women who took about 4,400 steps a day compared to those who took about 2,700 steps a day.
However, the benefits of boardwalks after about 7,500 steps.
"Just do a little bit, if you do a little bit, you're better," said I-Min Lee, a professor at Harvard Medical School and first author of the study. "Do not be discouraged if you do not meet 10,000 steps."
Unlike previous research, there appears to be no correlation between pace and longevity. Lee said that in their study, the number of steps women took each day was important.
Physical activity
The researchers warned that the study only looked at the correlation between the number of steps per day and the risk of death among older women, so their results can not be applied to the rest of the population. However, Lee said the results could also be true among older men.
The study also adds evidence that even a small amount of physical activity has beneficial effects on health.
"The scientific evidence behind 10,000 steps is not really clear," commented Lee in an interview with Consumer Reports.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend to adults to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity a day. Meanwhile, children and adolescents should have at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day.
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