Steps to Live By

Many people strive for 10,000 steps a day. However, a new study suggests that even 4,000 or 5,000 steps may make big differences. The researchers looked at 17,000 older women, average age 72. They found that women who got 4,400 steps daily reduced their risk of dying by 41% compared to women who only recorded 2,700 steps a day. The most active group (8,500 daily steps) had a 58% lower risk of dying during the follow-up period. Lesson: Keep physically active as you age. A step goal is easy to measure with a wearable activity tracker or a smartphone app.