Produced by: Manoj Kumar
A new study in Circulation reveals that walking 6,000–9,000 steps daily reduces cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk by 40–50%, offering a simple way to promote heart health, especially for older adults.
Lead author Dr. Amanda Paluch states that for every additional 1,000 steps, there is a measurable reduction in CVD risk, making even small increases in daily steps impactful for health.
With an average age of 63, the study focused on older adults, showing that even moderate walking significantly benefits heart health and reduces strokes and heart attacks.
Experts highlight that walking over 6,000 steps daily reduces inflammation, lowers insulin resistance, and improves blood pressure, offering benefits beyond cardiovascular health.
They advice starting with incremental increases of 500 steps per week, emphasizing that small, consistent changes lead to achieving the 7,000–10,000 step goal effortlessly.
It is noted that exercise benefits extend to reducing diabetes, acid reflux, and depression, with effects comparable to medications like BP reducers and statins.
Experts underscore the importance of walking for those with sedentary lifestyles, noting that even 1,000–2,000 extra steps can make a significant difference for individuals with diabetes or hypertension.
Walking also enhances mental health by improving balance, reducing the risk of falls, and decreasing depression, especially in older adults, according to experts.
Brisk walking, at around 100 steps per minute, amplifies benefits by improving circulation and metabolic health, making it a more effective form of daily exercise.