Walking 4,000 steps a day may lower women’s risk of early death and heart disease

Health & Fitness
22 Oct 2025 • 8:19 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Research indicates that older women who walk 4,000 steps a day, even just once or twice a week, significantly reduce their risk of early death and heart disease.
  • A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that 4,000 steps on one or two days a week lowered the risk of early death by 26 per cent and heart disease by 27 per cent.
  • Achieving 4,000 steps on three days a week provided even greater benefits, reducing the risk of early death by 40 per cent.
  • The study, involving 13,547 women tracked for nearly 11 years, suggests that the total number of steps is more crucial than the frequency of walking days.
  • Experts concluded that physical activity guidelines for older women should recommend at least 4,000 steps per day on one to two days per week, challenging the common 10,000-step benchmark.

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