A new study finds that for people aged 70 and over, walking an extra 500 steps a day can have a significant impact on heart health.
The information comes from a study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions on Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Prevention, and Health, which found that adding 500 steps to your daily step count can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, or heart failure by 14 percent in people over 70.
Researchers also showed that increasing the number of steps from 2,000 steps a day to 4,500 steps will reduce the risk of cardiovascular events by 77%.
"It's important to stay physically active as we age, but for many people, exercise can be difficult and walking is the optimal solution. We were surprised to find that walking had such a large benefit for cardiovascular health," lead author Erin Dooley, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, said in a press release.
"We are not understating the importance of vigorous physical activity but encourage gradual increases in daily steps because of the significant cardiovascular benefits," added Erin Dooley. "If you are over 70, start by trying to add 500 steps a day."
Scientists also said that more research is needed to provide a clearer picture of the impact of step count in preventing cardiovascular disease. Additional studies will need to be conducted over longer periods of time and in a more diverse group of people.
Exercise has long been known to benefit heart health. Walking has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, strengthen muscles and bones, and improve mood.
Step count was the easiest factor to measure in the new study, but other beneficial activities include aerobics, swimming, light weightlifting, or non-weight-bearing exercises.
Erin Dooley encourages people to set small goals that fit into their routine and feel achievable.
“That makes increasing your activity more sustainable. I don’t want people to set big goals and then get discouraged,” says Erin Dooley.
