More steps each day could be linked to lower health care costs in older adults

In a large Japanese study, older adults who took more steps generally went on to have lower health care costs. The association was much more pronounced after age 65 than in middle age, suggesting that age is an important factor when studying walking and medical spending.

The results add to interest in low-cost ways to encourage movement later in life. They do not show that reaching a specific step count will directly cut anyone’s medical bills, but they may help shape future research on walking programs and healthy aging.

Haruka Kato of Osaka Metropolitan University combined step-count data from Osaka Prefecture’s A-Smile health app with health insurance claims. Published in SSM – Population Health, the study included 20,950 long-term app users aged 40 and older.

The analysis used information gathered over a three-year period and examined how recorded daily steps related to health care spending in the following six months. Researchers used a model that allowed the relationship to bend rather than forcing it into a straight line.

That matters because the gap between very little walking and somewhat more activity may be different from the gap between already high activity levels. A flexible approach can show where the relationship is strongest and where it begins to level off.

Among adults ages 40 to 64, estimated health care costs varied only slightly across step levels. For adults 65 and older, projected spending was highest at low step counts and dropped more sharply as walking increased.

Walking is only one part of the broader picture; researchers are also looking at how daily diet may affect longevity.

In both age groups, the curves flattened at about 11,000 steps per day. The estimated points where the pattern leveled off were similar, even though the strength of the walking-cost relationship differed substantially by age.

This is an observational benchmark, not a daily goal that everyone must hit. It also does not mean that walking beyond that point has no benefit, since the study looked at spending rather than every possible physical or mental health outcome.

Another possible explanation is that people in poorer health may walk less and also require more medical care. Looking at later spending helps clarify the timing of the data, but it cannot eliminate every influence from existing illness or disability.

Participants were also long-term users of a health app, so their habits and health status may not match those of other residents. Results from one region and one insurance system should not automatically be extended to other populations.

Overall, the study supports testing ways to help older adults become more active, especially those who are currently very sedentary. Whether such programs can reduce costs, and which approaches are realistic for people with different abilities, remains a question for future research.

If you are interested in this topic, please read articles about Simple Exercise and Protein Plan May Help Older Adults Fight Frailty, and Quick Exercise Snacks Could Improve Your Heart Health.

For more information, please see articles about Regular Aerobic Exercise May Slow Brain Aging in Midlife, and Move a Little Every Day Daily Exercise May Be the Secret to Better Sleep.