The exercise hack that could cut your heart attack risk by a fifth

Health & Fitness
7 Aug 2025 • 9:49 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • A study has revealed that increasing walking distance and speed can significantly lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes, even without reaching the recommended 10,000 steps daily.
  • Published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, the research analysed data from 32,192 people with high blood pressure from the UK Biobank study.
  • The findings indicate that each additional 1,000 steps taken daily was linked to a 17 per cent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular problems.
  • Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, who supervised the study, emphasised that any amount of physical activity is beneficial, even below the widely recommended daily step target.
  • While primarily focusing on people with high blood pressure, the study also found similar cardiovascular benefits for individuals without the condition.

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