BUFFALO, N.Y. – Science is clear that being physically active is good for you as you get older. But just how much physical activity is beneficial for people over 60? A new study from the University at Buffalo has an answer, and it’s not just 10,000 steps per day.

In fact, this study published today in JAMA Cardiology found that walking an average of 3,600 steps a day at a normal pace reduced the risk of developing heart failure by 26% in nearly 6,000 American women between the ages of 63 and 99. It has been reported that.

The Women’s Health Initiative’s observational study specifically looked at physical activity measured by accelerometers, sedentary time, and risk of heart failure. During a mean follow-up of 7.5 years, 407 physician-confirmed cases of heart failure were identified.

On average, the risk of developing heart failure was reduced by 12% for 70 minutes per day of mild intensity and 16% for 30 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity. In fact, for every hour and a half spent sitting, the risk of experiencing heart failure increased by an average of 17%.

“In elderly outpatient women, independent of demographic and clinical factors associated with heart failure risk, higher amounts of normal daily light and moderate-intensity activity were associated with higher risk of developing heart failure.” , and their ejection fraction was preserved,” said study lead author Michael J. Kennedy. Dr. LaMonte is a research professor of epidemiology and environmental health in the UB School of Public Health and Health Professions.

“Accumulating 3,000 steps per day may be a reasonable goal consistent with the amount of daily activity performed by the women in this study.”

Study participants wore accelerometers on their hips for up to seven consecutive days, except when in the water. Light physical activity includes normal daily activities such as self-care, housework, and caregiving, while moderate to vigorous activity includes walking at a normal pace, climbing stairs, or working in the garden.

This study was unique in that it focused on two subtypes of heart failure, the most common of which is heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, often abbreviated to HFpEF. A similar pattern was observed for HFpEF, with lower risk associated with lighter and moderate intensity daily activities, and increased risk associated with increased sedentary time.

“This is an important and unique finding of our study because there is little published data on physical activity and HFpEF, so we are providing new information on which other studies can build.” LaMonte says Mr.

“More importantly, HFpEF is the most common form of heart failure in older women and racial/ethnic minorities, and there are currently few established treatment options, making it a primary treatment option for HFpEF. Prevention is more important.” The possibility that daily light-intensity activities contribute to the prevention of HFpEF in older women is exciting and promising for future studies to evaluate in other groups, including older men. “This is a great result,” Ramonte added.

Also novel was the team’s assessment of steps taken per day as an approach to quantifying and translating positive outcomes of physical activity, Lamonte says.

Encouraging older adults to become more active as part of healthy aging is sound advice that is well supported by scientific evidence.

“But communicating activity levels as part of clinical and public health recommendations is always a challenge,” Lamonte says. “Steps taken per day can be easily understood and measured with a variety of consumer-grade wearable devices, helping people monitor their physical activity levels.”

In this study, the risk of heart failure, including HFpEF, was significantly reduced at around 2,500 steps per day. Standardizing to 3,600 steps per day (1 standard deviation unit) reduced her risk of heart failure and her HFpEF by 25-30%.

The study results come at a time when the U.S. government is considering physical activity guidelines for older adults, particularly regarding daily step goals. The number of steps per day associated with lower heart failure risk cited in the study is much lower than the 10,000 steps often recommended for good health.

For reference, the average number of steps the women in the study took per day was 3,588. The average for American women of the same age is 2,340.

“Step intensity did not seem to influence heart failure risk reduction, as the results were similar for light-intensity steps and more strenuous steps,” Lamonte says.

“Our results show that walking around 3,000 steps per day at a normal pace may enhance heart failure prevention in older women, compared to daily physical activity levels comparable to steps at the federal level. This is highly meaningful given the current emphasis on identifying “daily intakes for cardiovascular health and resilience to be incorporated into future public health guidelines.” ”

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Stanford University, and Brown University contributed to the study.