Scientists have found that even adding just an additional 500 steps each day brings significant health benefits in later life,     1     (cut) the risk of a stroke and heart problems.

The new study analysed health data for 452 people     2     used an accelerometer device similar to a pedometer, worn at the hip (臀部),     3     (measure) their daily step count.

    4     (compare) to adults who took fewer than 2,000 steps per-day, people who took about 4,500 were 77 per centless likely to experience a cardiovascular (心血管) event in the 3.5 years follow-up. It means that every additional 500     5     (step) lowered the risk of heart issues by 14 per cent.

“We were surprised to find that every additional quarter of a mile, or 500 steps, of walking had such a strong benefit     6     heart health,” said Dr Erin Dooley, an     7     (assist) professor of epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health.

More up-to-date research     8     (find) that health effects can be steady after 4,500 steps, while others suggest between 6,000 and 8,000 is the sweet spot for fighting chronic illness like heart problems and cancer. “Steps are an easy way to measure physical activity, and more daily steps were associated with a     9     (low) risk of having a cardiovascular disease-related event in older adults,” added Dr Dooley, the lead author of the study. “    10    , most studies have focused on early-to-midlife adults with daily goals of 10,000 or more steps, which may not be available for older individuals.”