Can Taking 4,000 Steps Just Once a Week Lower the Risk of Death and Heart Disease? Study Provides Clarity - Video

Published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine, a new study by Mass General Brigham researchers reveals that even minimal step activity, just one or two days per week, can significantly reduce mortality and cardiovascular risk in older women.

For years, the daily step goal of 10,000 has been touted as a benchmark for good health. But new research suggests that far fewer steps, taken even sporadically, can still provide meaningful health benefits. In a large study involving 13,574 older women, scientists from Mass General Brigham found that taking just 4,000 steps on one or two days per week was linked to a 26% lower risk of death and a 27% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease over ten years.

The study was conducted as part of a federally funded project involving participants from the Women’s Health Study at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH).

These women, with an average age of 71.8 and no prior history of cardiovascular disease or cancer, wore accelerometers for seven days between 2011 and 2015 to record their step counts. Their health outcomes were then tracked over the following decade.

Participants were categorized based on how many days per week they achieved step counts at or above 4,000, 5,000, 6,000, or 7,000 steps. The most significant benefit was seen in women who achieved 4,000 steps one or two days weekly. Notably, those who reached that step count on three or more days had an even greater reduction in mortality up to 40%. However, as step counts increased, the benefits to cardiovascular health began to level off.

Interestingly, the study found that it was the total number of steps taken that mattered most—not how consistently they were spread across the week. This suggests that there isn’t a ‘better’ way to get steps.

Senior author I-Min Lee, MBBS, ScD, emphasized the study’s public health value: “Because of today’s low step counts, it’s increasingly important to determine the minimum amount of physical activity required to improve health outcomes, so that we can offer realistic and feasible goals for the public.”

Reference: Hamaya R et al. “Association between frequency of meeting daily step thresholds and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease in older women” British Journal of Sports Medicine DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2025-110311