For some time we have lived our lives aiming for the mythical number of 10,000 steps, not truly understanding the origins of this. It turns out that this was concocted from a marketing campaign rather than being based on scientific research. Nevertheless, a new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology suggests the recommended number of steps needed is significantly lower.

According to the research 3,967 steps is enough to reduce the risk of dying from any cause and it's 2,337 to make you less likely to fall victim to cardiovascular disease.

The research also found that the more steps you take will significantly decrease the risk of dying. We would always suggest making walking part of your daily routine, along with other forms of movement, but not to get bogged down with the numbers. The more steps the better but don’t get hung up on the numbers.