In the run-up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, marketing executives in Japan decided on the idea of walking 10,000 steps a day as part of a campaign to promote a new pedometer. Ever since then, it has been touted as a magical number for staying fit and healthy.
However, if you struggle to reach the target, a new study shows that all is not lost. Just 2,337 daily steps is enough to reduce the risk of dying prematurely – although the health benefits accumulate the more steps people take.
In the largest study of its kind, scientists analysed data from 226,889 people who were involved in previous studies across multiple countries, including Britain, the US, Australia and Norway.
Their average daily step count was recorded,
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