International health authorities have emphasized the importance of daily physical activity for many years.
The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that regular physical activity can help maintain functional ability and prevent disease, including among older adults.
At the same time, the organization stresses that recommendations should be adapted to individual circumstances such as age, health, and mobility.
In practice, many older adults find that exercise mainly consists of walking, grocery shopping, and movement around the home.
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These everyday activities play a significant role because they are realistic and can be sustained over time.
International recommendations
According to the WHO, people with illness or functional impairments should have lower and more flexible targets for physical activity.
The same view is widely shared in European prevention efforts, where the focus has increasingly shifted from fixed standards to individual assessments.
Medonet reports, citing international sources such as Howdy Health, that walking and moderate-paced walking are considered particularly suitable for people over 60.
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This type of activity does not place unnecessary strain on the joints and can be easily integrated into daily routines.
Adapt exercise to yourself
An American observational study published in 2022 in The Lancet Public Health followed around 50,000 adults to examine the relationship between step count and health.
The results showed that very high levels of activity did not necessarily provide additional health benefits for older age groups.
The study also suggests that excessive physical strain may, in some cases, be associated with increased risk, challenging the widespread idea of a single universal target.
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How many steps should older adults take?
For healthy people over 60, a daily level of approximately 6,000 to 8,000 steps is considered appropriate.
By comparison, higher ranges are often cited for younger adults, while the WHO recommends up to around 5,500 steps for people with health-related limitations.
The point is not to reach a specific number, but to maintain a level of activity that supports health and quality of life over time.
Sources: World Health Organization (WHO), Medonet, Howdy Health, and The Lancet Public Health.
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This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.