Taking 4,500 Steps A Day Could Help You Live Longer, Says Research

• University of North Carolina researchers have said that taking 4,500 steps each day may help extend life by six years.
• According to their study, walking (including taking the stairs and moving around the house while doing chores) could lead to longer life.
• For this research, the team observed more than 16,000 women over the age of 60 from 2011 to 2015.

A study conducted by a team of scientists from the University of North Carolina has shared how increasing the number of your daily steps could actually lead to a longer life. According to their research, they closely monitored 16,732 women who were “all over age 60” from 2011 to 2015.

The participants wore waist step counters daily for at least 4 to 7 days. Results later revealed that those who took about 4,500 per day, household chores and taking the stairs included, helped prevent death in the next six years.

Is walking the secret to living longer?

Study lead author and epidemiology doctoral student Christopher C. Moore shared:

“Technological advances made in recent decades have allowed researchers to measure short spurts of activity. In the past, we were limited to only measuring activities people could recall on a questionnaire.

“With the help of wearable devices, more research is indicating that any type of movement is better than remaining sedentary.”

About six years later, 804 of the participants had died and “those who took 4,500 steps per day had a significantly lower risk of death compared to the least active women,” the study indicated.

Exercise everyday – even by just doing house chores.

Moore also suggested ideas for those who may be having a hard time fitting exercise in their busy schedules.

“Older adults face many barriers to participating in structured exercise programs, so some may find it more convenient and enjoyable to increase everyday walking behaviors, like parking slightly further from their destination or doing some extra housework or yard work,” he said.