Every Extra 500

Five hundred steps is the topic, and every 500 extra you complete – especially when you’re a senior – reduces your cardiovascular risk. Heart health is important for everyone, and the cardiovascular fitness you cultivate when you’re younger obviously impacts your cardiovascular fitness when you’re older. That said, there’s a reason why heart issues are generally more likely with advancing age. Hence why these study findings specific to older adults matter.

Here’s what researchers found: Every additional 500 steps (approximately 1/4th of a mile) per day reduces seniors’ heart attack, stroke and heart failure risk by 14%. When you think about health risks, those are three of the big ones. Achieving approximately 4,500 steps per day (vs. fewer than 2,000 steps) reduces cardiovascular risk by a whopping 77%. The researchers presented their findings at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2023.

Keep in mind that brisk walking is increasingly recognized as a valuable form of exercise that can keep you active and fit; hitting the gym every day isn’t the only way to do it. So, unless you have a health limitation that prohibits consistent walking, get out there every day with a supportive pair of shoes on and get your steps! Your heart will thank you for it.