A new study reports that taking a walk, or participating in any exercise, can reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by up to 70%. AMD is a degenerative eye disease in which the light-sensitive cells in the back of the eye stop working. It is the leading cause of severe vision loss in people over age 60.

Researchers followed nearly 4,000 men and women in Beaver Dam, Wis., between the ages of 43 and 86 for 15 years. The participants gave information about their lifestyle and exercise habits and had eye examinations every five years.

The study shows that older adults who had an active lifestyle and exercised three or more times a week had a 70% lower risk of developing wet AMD.There are two types of AMD, wet and dry.

Do you want to walk more? If so, then keep a step diary.

NBC nightly news reported that people who wear a pedometer walk 1 more mile on average, but only if the keep track of their steps. In fact, 20 studies have found that wearing a pedometer prods people to walk more.

In a report for the American Medical Association, Dr. Dena Bravata of Stanford University reports that increasing physical activity depended on setting a goal and keeping a diary of the number of steps walked each day. “Every night, you write down how many steps you walked that day,” she said. “By flipping back through your diary, you’re able to see patterns, for example, ’On the two days a week I took the stairs, I increased my steps.”