Fitness: Only 5,000 steps a day needed to stay healthy, study shows

Fitness: Only 5,000 steps a day needed to stay healthy, study shows It has long been touted that 10,000 steps a day is the magic number you need to stay fit and healthy - but a new study shows fewer than 5,000 may be enough to see a benefit.

The analysis of more than 226,000 people around the world showed 4,000 was enough to start reducing the risk of dying prematurely of any cause.

Just over 2,300 is enough to benefit the heart and blood vessels. BBC News

See also:

• The association between daily step count and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: a meta-analysis (abstract) European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
• Why you DON'T need to worry if you fall short of 10,000 steps a day... just make sure you get at least 4,000 The Daily Mail
• What happens when you hit a 4,000-step target each day The Independent