The question of How many steps a woman should take daily is back in the spotlight with new scientific data. A large study with older women suggests that reaching a relatively modest threshold of daily steps is already associated with significant health benefits, a useful clue for setting realistic goals in Spain and Europe.
According to this research, walking at least 4.000 daily steps one or two days a week is linked with a lower risk of death from any cause and with fewer cardiovascular events. And when that figure is met more times a week, the protective effect on overall mortality increases appreciably.
What the study reveals in older women
The work was carried out by researchers from Mass General Brigham and has been published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. It recruited 13.547 women with a mean age of 71 years, without cardiovascular disease or cancer at baseline.
The participants used accelerometers to quantify steps during a week between 2011 and 2015, and subsequently a close follow-up was carried out 11 yearsDuring that period, 1.765 women (13%) died and 781 (5%) developed cardiovascular disease.
Achieving 4.000 steps daily 1 or 2 days per week was associated with a 26% less mortality from all causes or with a 27% lower cardiovascular risk compared to those who did not reach that threshold on any day.
When that goal was met 3 or more days weekly, the overall death risk reduction reached approximately 40%. In the case of counting between 5.000 and 7.000 steps for 3 or more days, a further drop in overall mortality was observed around 32%, while cardiovascular risk showed a stabilization close to 16%.
So how many steps should you take?
The evidence points to the fact that the total step volume is more important than the frequency with which the goal is achieved. In other words, adding steps throughout the week seems more important than nailing down an identical pattern every day.
The authors emphasize that there is no unique “best” patternBoth a "slow and steady" distribution and grouping steps on specific days would be valid options for older women. This makes it easier for each person to choose the strategy that best fits their routine in Spain or any other European country.
With an accessible goal of ≥4.000 steps daily (even if it is 1-2 days per week), clear benefits already emerge. From there, increasing the count and/or weekly frequency seems to reinforce above all the overall survival.
Practical tips for adding steps to your daily routine
For many people, fitting in 4.000 steps can equate to about 30 minutes walking, depending on your pace and stride length. Breaking it up into two or three short walks is often more manageable than doing it all at once.
La brisk or interval walking (fast stretches alternating with softer stretches) helps to optimize time, improves the cardiovascular capacity and makes it easier to maintain consistency. It's a modality that can be adapted to different levels.
Regularity weighs heavily: moving about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, already brings significant improvements, and those minutes can be divided. If a week is complicated, reaching the key figure of 4.000 steps in someday continues to add to health.
Limitations of the study and how to translate the findings
In this observational study, so it does not establish cause and effect. In addition, the activity was measured for only one week and key data such as dietary patterns, which requires caution when generalizing.
The sample consisted of older women, mostly Americans and whitesThe authors note that it is necessary to verify whether these results are reproducible in other groups and contexts, including Europeans.
Even with these cautions, the researchers propose including step metrics in future physical activity guidelines. The central idea is practical: there would be no “best” pattern, but rather multiple ways to accumulate steps which can translate into lower mortality and lower cardiovascular risk in older women.
Looking at the day to day, set a realistic threshold like 4.000 steps and trying to repeat it several times a week seems like an achievable and impactful goal, especially for older women who want to improve their health in Spain and Europe without complicating themselves with unsustainable goals.
