Having trouble getting in your daily steps? The latest science says you may not need to fret

If some days it’s easier to reach your step goals than others, you may still be protecting yourself against cardiovascular disease and early death, according to a new study.

For women older than 60 in particular, the average daily steps across a week was more strongly associated with a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease and early death than the number of days in a week that step goals were reached, said lead study author Dr. Rikuta Hamaya, instructor in medicine at the Brigham Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.