Many people monitor how many steps they walk every day. Research suggests that 10,000 steps a day is enough for us to stay healthy and live longer. A new study says just 4,000 steps a day could be enough for us to live to an old age. Researchers analyzed 17 studies that looked at how far people walked during the week. They concluded that 4,000 steps per day lowered the risk of dying from diabetes, heart diseases and other life-threatening conditions. The study said 4,000 steps is the same as a 30- to 45-minute walk, or about three to four kilometres.

The study is published in a cardiology journal. Researchers looked at exercise data from 225,000 adults worldwide over seven years. The adults had an average age of 64 and had different levels of health. The lead researcher said 4,000 steps was enough, but it wasn't a "magic number". He added that the more steps you take, the better. He also said walking an additional 1,000 steps per day could lead to a roughly 15 per cent lower risk of premature death. The researcher said people should add at least one walk to their daily routine.