Nudge Healthcare: Women in Their 40s Walked 1,200 Fewer Steps Than Women in Their 70s

To mark World Osteoporosis Day on Oct. 20, Nudge Healthcare analyzed step data from users of its health management app, Cashwalk. Nudge Healthcare used Cashwalk data as a benchmark on World Osteoporosis Day to examine everyday walking levels among women in middle age and older.

The analysis found that women in their 40s averaged 5,541 steps per day. That was about 1,200 fewer steps than women in their 70s, and 5,541 steps was the lowest among the eight groups of men and women in their 40s through 70s included in the analysis.

Nudge Healthcare also cited recommendations from the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF). It said exercise is recommended three to four times a week for bone and muscle health.

According to IOF recommendations, each workout should last 30 to 40 minutes, and weight-bearing exercises such as walking should be combined with strength and resistance training. Nudge Healthcare linked its analysis to the need for such exercise.

The survey compared the average daily step counts and the share of days with 7,000 or more steps among about 3.55 million domestic Cashwalk users in their 40s through 70s who had step records from January to September 2026, by age and gender. The average daily step counts for women were 5,541 in their 40s, 6,094 in their 50s, 6,674 in their 60s, and 6,750 in their 70s.

The results showed a particularly wide gender gap among those in their 40s. Men in their 40s averaged 7,696 steps per day, 2,155 more than women in the same age group. A gender gap was also evident in the share of days with at least 7,000 steps per day.

Women in their 40s recorded 24.1% of days with an average of at least 7,000 steps, while men in their 40s recorded 48.5%. The share for women in their 40s was roughly half that of men in the same age group. The share of days with at least 7,000 steps for women was 32.2% in their 50s, 40.5% in their 60s, and 41.5% in their 70s.

A 2025 meta-analysis in the medical journal The Lancet Public Health found that 7,000 steps a day reduced the risk of death by 47% compared with 2,000 steps. Accordingly, 7,000 steps was also presented as a realistic target with clear health benefits.

Jeong Seung-eun, an advisor at Nudge Healthcare, said the findings from the Cashwalk user analysis suggest that women in their 40s have relatively low step counts, and that this warrants attention. She added that bone health management is needed, but said step counts alone cannot determine bone health status.

Jeong said that for women, bone loss accelerates from about one year before their last menstrual period, so it is important to combine strength training and balance exercises to prevent falls before menopause and in line with each person's health condition. She added that walking is an easy weight-bearing exercise to incorporate into daily life, but that walking alone has limits in maintaining bone density, making it important to consistently pair walking with strength and balance exercises suited to one's fitness and health status.

Source: TECHWORLD · Lee Gwang-jae
Original: https://www.epnc.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=408407

References

• https://www.epnc.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=408407