A study has found that when it comes to walking exercise, “how much you walk” is more important than “how often you walk.”

The research team at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA, published the results of a long-term observation tracking the relationship between daily step count and the risk of cardiovascular disease and death in the international academic journal *British Journal of Sports Medicine* on the 21st (local time).

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The study was conducted by examining the daily step count and health status of 13,547 women (average age 71.8 years) with no history of cardiovascular disease or cancer diagnosis over an average period of 11 years. During this period, there were 1,765 deaths (13%), and 781 people (5%) were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.

The analysis found that individuals who walked at least 4,000 steps a day for three or more days a week had a 40% lower overall mortality risk compared to those who walked less than a day. Those who walked 1–2 days also showed a 26% lower mortality risk. The mortality rate from cardiovascular disease was also 27% lower in those who walked at least one day compared to those who did not walk at all.

Additionally, when the average daily step count was 5,000 or more, the mortality risk decreased by around 30%, and for 6,000 to 7,000 steps or more, it decreased by approximately 32–40%, showing a trend where a higher step count was more beneficial.

The research team explained, “These results show that walking at least 4,000 steps a day, even 1–2 times a week, reduces the risk of death and cardiovascular disease,” adding, “This implies that the total amount of walking is more important for the health of the elderly than the frequency of walking.”

They further added, “There is no specific better walking pattern; the total amount of walking is the key factor for health,” and “Whether you walk consistently every day or all at once, if it suits you, it can lower the risk of death and cardiovascular disease.”