For years, the goal of 10,000 steps a day left many seniors feeling like they never did enough. A large American study published in October 2025 indicates that after age 60, the useful threshold for the heart would be much lower. And best of all, it wouldn’t need to be reached every day.
According to this study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and conducted by Harvard University among participants in the Women’s Health Study, reaching at least 4,000 steps in a day, just 1 to 2 days per week, is associated with a 26% reduction in the risk of death and a 27% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease in women with an average age of 71.8 years. For less active seniors, this more achievable level can serve as a new benchmark.
The study published in the BJSM
The authors include Rikuta Hamaya, a physician at Mass General Brigham, and epidemiologist I-Min Lee of Harvard University. The team followed 13,547 women from the Women’s Health Study, living in the United States and with an average age of 71.8 years. They wore an activity sensor measuring their steps for seven days, then their health was monitored for 10.9 years in this cohort.
I-Min Lee summarizes the interest in results accessible to people who are not very active: “With today’s low step counts, it is becoming increasingly important to determine the minimum amount of physical activity needed to improve health, so that realistic and achievable goals can be provided to the public.“, explains the epidemiologist from Harvard University.
Studies show that, around 7,000 steps per day, cardiovascular benefits begin to appear, far from the symbolic threshold of 10,000 steps.
After 60 years, 4,000 steps
The authors indicate that crossing the threshold of 4,000 steps one to two days per week is enough to reduce the risk of death and cardiovascular disease compared to women who never reach it. Those who managed it at least three days a week saw their mortality decrease by 40%.
The total volume of steps over the week mattered more than the number of active days, which means that a long walk once or twice can benefit almost as much as repeated short outings.
Rikuta Hamaya’s message
For Rikuta Hamaya, the main message is collective: “If we can encourage older women to take at least 4,000 steps once a week, we could reduce mortality and the risk of cardiovascular disease across the country“, believes Mass General Brigham’s doctor.
This study remains observational and focused on older American women; it does not in itself prove that walking is the sole cause of the differences observed and does not constitute an individual prescription.