Two recent medical studies confirm that remaining active is probably the best way for older adults to live longer and remain happy well into their golden years. Best of all, no one asks grandma or grandpa to hit the gym. Simply walking 30 minutes a day is enough.
One study found that older adults were nearly 70% less likely to die prematurely of any cause if they walked for at least 150 minutes per week. A second study showed that older women (average age 79) were 38% less likely to die from a heart attack, heart failure, and stroke if they took 2,100 to 4,500 steps a day regularly. Conversely, sedentary activity was correlated with a 32% higher risk of dying prematurely due to any cause.
Researchers found that fostering physical activity with moderate intensity and minimizing sedentary time could be a more realistic option for older adults. Furthermore, there was no evidence that older people need to walk for 10,000 steps a day to get cardiovascular benefits from walking. Just over 4,500 steps a day (just over 2 miles) is strongly associated with a lower risk of dying early, not to mention the mental boost gained from walking.
