Past studies show that older women, especially those over the age of 55, have an increased risk of developing heart disease when they enter menopause.
Previous research has reported a number of modifiable life changes that people can make to help lower their cardiovascular disease risk, including being more physically active.
A study found that older women who took 4,000 steps on only one or two days during the week reduced their risk for cardiovascular disease and death compared to those who took fewer steps.
According to the World Health Organization , cardiovascular disease is currently the leading cause of death Worldwide trusted Source, responsible for about 19.8 million deaths in 2022.
Past studies show that older women, especially those over the age of 55, have an increased risk of developing heart disease when they enter menopause.
Previous research has reported a number of modifiable life changes that women and men can make to help lower their cardiovascular disease risk, including stop smoking, eating a heart-healthy diet, reducing their stress Levels trusted Source, and being more physically active.
One method in which people can increase their activity levels is by reaching a specific step count target every day. For example, a study published in July 2025 found that walking only 7,000 steps a day can help potentially lower a person’s heart disease risk, while other research published in August 2025 says that walking more than 3,000 steps a day can reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 17%.
