Exact number of steps you should aim for a day to slash risk of killer condition

While many of us have been led to believe that walking 10,000 steps a day is the key to optimal - leading to the popularity of various step-counting apps and watches.

But research suggests this may not be the magic number we've been led to believe. A study published in the in 2023, which analysed 17 previous studies involving over 200,000 people, found that as few as 2,337 steps a day could start to reduce the risk of dying from heart and circulatory diseases.

Moreover, at least 3,867 steps were found to decrease the risk of death from any cause. The researchers also discovered that every additional 1,000 steps a day were associated with a 15 percent reduction in the risk of death.

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For those aged 60 and above, the most significant health improvements were seen in individuals taking between 6,000 to 10,000 steps daily, after which the benefits began to diminish. For younger individuals, the ideal range was between 7,000 and 13,000 steps.

The authors of the study have established: "This meta-analysis demonstrates a significant inverse association between daily step count and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular (CV) mortality with more the better over the cut-off point of 3,867 steps/day for all-cause mortality and only 2,337 steps for CV mortality."

In separate research highlighted in journal in 2022, it was claimed that walking "up to" 10,000 steps a day could lead to a longer life. However, this research also noted that walking pace could further influence health benefits, stating: "The findings of this population-based prospective cohort study of 78,500 individuals suggest that up to 10,000 steps per day may be associated with a lower risk of mortality and cancer and cardiovascular disease incidence.

"Steps performed at a higher cadence may be associated with additional risk reduction, particularly for incident disease." Experts from the (BHF) have added context to the popular 10,000 steps goal by revealing its origin in an old marketing stunt, reports .

Heart Matters magazine explains that: "The idea of 10,000 steps a day traces back to a marketing campaign launched by a step counter company during the 1964 Olympics in Japan. This number was picked because the Japanese character for 10,000 (万) looks like a person walking.

"Despite its marketing origins, the idea caught on and many scientific studies have looked at the health benefits of 10,000 steps a day. Research has linked it to a reduced risk of developing dementia, cancer and heart and circulatory diseases, as well as having mental health benefits."

Depending on your height, 10,000 steps equates to nearly five miles or eight kilometres, which takes people between one and two hours to walk. It will burn between 300 to 800 calories, depending on your weight and height.