10,000 steps per day might not be the key to good health.
10,000 steps per day might not guarantee good health
It has long been thought that reaching the target can ward off conditions such as dementia and heart disease but experts now suggest that this may not be the case.
Scientists have warned that going beyond 8,000 steps might not provide "much additional benefit" and walking quickly in short bursts is better for health.
Lindsay Bottoms, an exercise and health physiology researcher at the University of Hertfordshire, says that fixating on the 10,000 target "would certainly" give individuals a false sense of security about remaining healthy.
She told the MailOnline: "Step count is difficult and isn't inclusive of people who aren't able to walk.
"Research shows that less than 10,000 has health benefits,10,000 steps is an arbitrary number.
"Doing as few as 4,400 steps has been shown to improve life expectancy.
"We need to encourage people to be active, so if someone regularly only does 2,000 steps a day, having a target of 4,000 is achievable.
"It would actually motivate them more having a target of 10,000 which is just not going to happen."