Working out may be healthy, but it's also intimidating to plenty of people. Luckily, new research indicates that just walking can be great for your health — no weights, yoga, or marathons required.
A new study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Wednesday, found that for older women, getting just 4,400 steps a day can significantly improve their chances of living longer. That might seem like a lot, but it's far less than the conventional wisdom of 10,000 steps a day, NPR reported. And the average American takes between 3,000 and 4,000 steps a day already.
The study analyzed the walking behavior of 17,000 women with an average age of 72. And it found that women who kept to that 4,400 figure were 40 percent less likely to die in the next four years, compared to women who walked 2,700 steps a day. And women who walked more than 7,500 steps a day didn't see any additional benefits, which means that "just light walking" is likely enough to keep you healthy, NPR explained.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
So there's no need to overachieve with your fitness tracker's results. Instead, focus on getting a moderate number of steps, and "stick to it."
-
Denmark's 'pornographic' mermaid statue is in hot waterUnder the Radar Town will reportedly remove voluptuous Big Mermaid, despite statue being 'arguably a bit less naked' than Copenhagen monument the Little Mermaid
-
August 10 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include a global plastics problem, GOP enthusiasm over tariffs, and more
-
5 thin-skinned cartoons about shooting the messengerCartoons Artists take on unfavorable weather, a look in the mirror, and more
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
