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THE MORE YOU MOVE, THE BETTER Previous research has shown that a range of step counts come with a host of health benefits. A study published in _JAMA Neurology_ found that adults who

achieved 9,800 steps per day were 50 percent less likely to develop dementia. Another study published in the journal _Circulation_ found that older adults who walk 6,000 to 9,000 steps each

day had a 40 to 50 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, compared to those who took 2,000. In this latest analysis, which looked at 226,889 adults (average age 64) from 17 different

studies around the world, the researchers identified a similar sweet spot. The risk reduction in death was 42 percent among adults 60 and older who walked between 6,000 and 10,000 steps a

day and 49 percent among adults younger than 60 who walked between 7,000 and 13,000 steps a day. And, importantly, at no point did the perks start to taper. Even if people walked close to

20,000 steps a day, which was the upper limit studied, the health benefits continued to increase. “Our study confirms that the more you walk, the better,” lead researcher Maciej Banach,

professor of cardiology at the Medical University of Lodz, Poland, said in a news release. “We found that this applied to both men and women, irrespective of age, and irrespective of whether

you live in a temperate, subtropical or subpolar region of the world, or a region with a mixture of climates.” It also shows that you don’t need expensive equipment or a gym membership to

better your health. Walking is an accessible activity, Friel notes, and building an exercise program around it “is great.” So is working more bursts of activity into your everyday routine —

whether that’s going out for a quick lap around the neighborhood or doing chores in the house. “Every little bit helps,” Friel says. Wearable technology like smart watches and Fitbits can

help you keep track of your steps. So can a basic pedometer — or even just keeping track of time. The average walking pace is about 20 minutes per mile, according to the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention. So walking for about 40 minutes should get you close to 4,000 steps. Can’t walk for that long? Pointing to the study’s findings, Friel says walking 10 minutes more

today than you did yesterday is a win.