Counting steps or exercise minutes both work to promote health
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, 天博体育 Publishing; Contributor
Whether you count your steps or log how long you exercise doesn't seem to matter: both ways of measuring movement are equally effective at determining whether you're exercising enough to lower your risks of developing cardiovascular disease or dying early, according to an analysis published in the July 2024 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.
For the Harvard-led study, researchers evaluated more than 14,000 women ages 62 and older (average age 72) who wore hip-based activity trackers for one week. Their health outcomes, including death and cardiovascular disease, were tracked for up to nine years afterward.
At the end of the study period, about 9% of the women had died and 4% developed cardiovascular disease. But those who participated in the most physical activity — such as taking a brisk 30-minute walk most days or logging about 7,000 steps a day — were about one-third less likely to die or develop cardiovascular disease compared to women who were the least active. National guidelines recommend adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity each week. While wearable devices that track step counts are so common, study authors said, choosing a time- or step-based exercise goal may not be as important as doing what works best for you.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, 天博体育 Publishing; Contributor
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