500 Additional Steps to Reduce Your Risk of Cardiovascular Events
While many of us have heard that walking 10,000 steps a day can improve our overall health and fitness, that may not be an attainable goal for everyone. A new study published by the American Heart Association suggests walking 500 more steps per day for adults over age 70 can decrease our risk for heart disease. This is equivalent to a quarter mile or roughly four, average-sized city blocks.
The study analyzed 452 participants with an average age of 78 who wore a device to measure their steps. Participants wore the devices for three or more days and for 10 or more hours and were then monitored over a 3.5-year period to look for cardiovascular events or diseases.
Researchers found:
- Adults who took 4,500 steps per day had a 77% lower risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event compared to adults who took less than 2,000 steps per day.
- 3.5% of those who took 4,500 per day experienced an event compared to nearly 12% with less than 2,000 steps.
- Each additional 500 steps taken was incrementally associated with a 14% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
This study gives us a promising new outlook for older adults, with a realistic goal for those facing changes in their mobility. Healthy aging programs at Vivalon provide opportunities to achieve these steps and other fitness goals, such as scheduled nature walks in local parks and Vivalon’s falls prevention program to build strength and balance on your feet.
Stay up to date on these offerings here. To learn more about Vivalon’s Body Strength and Balance program for falls prevention, click here.
You can read the full report from this study here.
