Scientists discover the precise amount of time you need to walk to get fit - and it's less than 30 seconds

Hitting 10,000 steps a day is a popular fitness goal for millions. Italian scientists, who tracked the movements of 10 healthy adults, discovered that walking in 10 to 30-second bouts used up to 60 per cent more energy than covering the same distance in one go. HOW MUCH EXERCISE YOU NEED To stay healthy, adults aged 19 to 64 should try to be active daily and should do: at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as cycling or brisk walking every week and strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles Or: 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity such as running or a game of singles tennis every week and strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles Or: a mix of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity every week – for example, 2 x 30-minute runs plus 30 minutes of brisk walking equates to 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles A good rule is that 1 minute of vigorous activity provides the same health benefits as 2 minutes of moderate activity. One way to do your recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity is to do 30 minutes on 5 days every week. The World Health Organisation recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week — or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise.