A new study suggests that walking just 4,000 steps a day, rather than the more widely recommended 10,000 steps a day, could be enough to lower one's risk of death by up to 40%.
The research, published Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, analyzed a study of more than 13,000 older women over the age of 62 by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Researchers found that women who walked at least 4,000 steps once or twice a week, no matter their intensity, method or speed, cut their risk of death by 26% and their risk of heart disease over the course of a decade by 27%.
Women who walked at least 4,000 steps for three or more days a week further lowered their risk of death to up to 40%, and their heart disease risk by 27%.
Meanwhile, women who walked over 7,000 steps a day decreased their risk of death by 32% death and cut their heart disease risk by 16%.
The study presented a "snapshot" in time of the study participants' walking activity, capturing their steps for a week, followed by an 11-year follow-up period to monitor health conditions. Since it followed older women, researchers don't yet know whether the same results could fully apply to other demographics, such as men or younger adults.
The study also didn't take into account other factors such as one's diet or previous health conditions such as cancer or prior heart disease.
But doctors, including ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Tara Narula, say walking consistently is beneficial for one's health overall.
"It's really about building it into your daily lifestyle and you have to be mindful of it," Narula said on "Good Morning America" Wednesday. "For example, getting off the bus a stop early and walking, parking your car a little further away, maybe just walking instead of using transportation like buses or cars, taking the stairs."
"If you have an office, get up and walk during lunch for 10 minutes, have your meetings on the phone and walk around the block," Narula added. "And then make it social. Make it fun. There are walking groups you can find … and then music -- a good playlist can help. Getting a pet, a dog, can be a great way to do it, and then buying something that is tracking your steps, because it makes you accountable and makes you focus on it."
The study underscores the idea that even as few as 4,000 steps -- whether done all at once or accumulated throughout the day -- can go a long way toward improving health.
