Walk This Way

A new study by Brigham and Women's Hospital published in JAMA Internal Medicine measured the association between total daily steps and long-term health outcomes, reports the Harvard Gazette . The researchers evaluated the results over an average of more than four years for older women who had measured their steps for a full week. As little as 4,400 steps a day was significantly associated with lower risk of death among this group, versus 2,700 daily steps. Mortality risk continued to fall with more steps taken, leveling off at about 7,500 daily steps. "We find that even a modest increase in steps taken is tied to significantly lower mortality in older women," said Brigham and Women's Hospital's I-Min Lee. "Our study adds to a growing understanding of the importance of physical activity for health, clarifies the number of steps related to lower mortality, and amplifies the message 'step more.' Even a little more is helpful."