For women over 60, here’s how many daily steps you need to protect heart health
We’ve all heard the widely held recommendation to take 10,000 steps a day for optimal health, but some groups, like women over 60, may not need it.
That’s according to a new study published in JAMA Cardiology, which found that women aged 63 to 99 only needed an average of 3,600 steps per day to reduce their risk of heart failure by 26 %.
“(This was) after accounting for differences in age, race and ethnicity, as well as clinical factors known to increase the risk of heart failure,” said lead author Michael J. LaMonte, PhD, research professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the UB School. Public Health and Health Professions, in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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“This is much less than the 10,000 steps per day often targeted,” he noted.
Researchers at the University at Buffalo in New York observed 6,000 American women aged 63 to 99, collecting data on their physical activity, sedentary time and heart health.
Women aged 63 to 99 needed only 3,600 steps per day on average to reduce their risk of heart failure by 26%. (iStock)
Over a 7 1/2 year period, there were 407 cases of heart failure in the group.
The risk was found to be 12% to 17% lower for every 70 minutes of light activity (housework, personal care, and other daily tasks) and 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity (climbing stairs, doing gardening work, walking). or go jogging).
It was found that the risk of heart disease was 12 to 17 percent lower for every 70 minutes of light activity, such as household chores, personal care, and other daily tasks. (iStock)
For every 90 minutes of sedentary time, the risk of heart failure increases by 17 percent, researchers found.
To measure their physical activity, participants wore a tracking device on their hips for a week.
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“Even lower-intensity activities of daily living and walking appear to be associated with a lower risk of heart failure in older women,” LaMonte said.
“Thus, our data suggest that lower amounts and intensity of physical activity than currently recommended in public health guidelines may be beneficial for preventing heart failure later in life.”
To measure their physical activity, participants in a new study wore a tracking device on their hips for a week. (iStock)
The study assessed the risk of two different types of heart failure, including heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
In this condition, also known as diastolic heart failure, the heart muscle contracts as it should, but the left ventricle remains stiff and prevents the heart from properly filling with blood, according to the American website. Heart Association.
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“HFpEF is the most common form of heart failure seen in older women and among racial and ethnic minority groups, and at present there are few established treatment options, making prevention primary all the more relevant,” LaMonte told Fox News Digital.
“This type of heart failure is increasingly common among women, older adults, and racial and ethnic minority groups,” Lamonte told Fox News Digital.
The study assessed the risk of two different types of heart failure, including heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), the most common form of heart failure seen in older women. (iStock)
“Unfortunately, there are currently no established treatments to treat this subtype of heart failure, making its prevention all the more important. The relevance only increases as the population ages, as we “Expects that women will outnumber men in the 80+ age group over the coming decades.”
LaMonte added: “The potential for light-intensity activities of daily living to contribute to the prevention of HFpEF in older women is an exciting and promising result for future studies to evaluate in other groups, including older women. elderly men. »
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The risk of heart failure, including HFpEF, became “significantly lower” at around 2,500 steps per day, the release said.
The risk dropped by 25-30% at the 3,600 step mark.
Potential Limitations
The study had some limitations, the lead researcher noted.
“Observational study design requires guarding against interpreting causality based on associational findings,” LaMonte told Fox News Digital.
“We only had one accelerometer measurement, and activity patterns could change during monitoring, so repeated measurements would be preferable.”
“Even lower-intensity daily activities and walking appear to be associated with a lower risk of heart failure in older women.”
Researchers also didn’t have new biomarkers of heart damage and volume overload, he said, which would have resulted in a richer analysis of activity that could reduce heart failure risk.
“Our cohort is older and postmenopausal womenso further studies need to confirm these findings in men and younger individuals,” LaMonte said.
Importance of Exercise for Older Women
Dr. Bradley Serwer, a cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based company that provides cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals, was not involved in the study but noted the importance of physical activity for heart health.
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“Regular exercise can help improve cardiovascular fitness by improving peripheral circulation, improving vascular tone, and controlling comorbidities such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol,” he told Fox News Digital.
Older women should aim for a mix of aerobic and strength training exercises regularly, a doctor has said. (iStock)
“It’s important to stay mentally and physically active, especially after age 50.”
Ideally, older women should aim for a mix of aerobic and strength training exercises regularly, Serwer said.
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For those over 50, he warned that high-impact exercises, such as running, can lead to overuse injuries.
“Low-impact activities like cycling, walking, swimming or yoga can be very beneficial,” he recommends.
“A simple message for older people is: ‘Sit less and move more.'”
For those who haven’t exercised in a while, Serwer said it’s important to consult a doctor to ensure they are healthy enough to begin a fitness program.
“Once you determine that you are healthy enough to exercise, I recommend starting slowly and gradually increasing,” he said. “Sometimes it helps to hire a personal trainer or join a gym with an exercise physiologist.”
For those who haven’t exercised in a while, a cardiologist said it’s important to see a doctor to make sure they are healthy enough to begin a fitness program. (iStock)
LaMonte added: “A simple message for older adults is: ‘Sit less and move more.’
Moving around the house, providing care and walking are beneficial sources of movement for cardiovascular health later in life, he noted.
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“For those who are able and interested in doing moderate-intensity activities, they will likely experience greater benefits, but the movement does not have to be sophisticated or planned,” he said.
“Just try to be active in daily life and try to break up prolonged sitting with a little walking.”
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