Staying fit might be more straightforward than we think – here’s what you should know
Lauren Haughey Lifestyle and Money Reporter
14:30, 24 Jan 2026
Current NHS guidance echoes Dr Longo’s sentiment (stock image)(Image: Getty Images/EyeEm)
We’re often told that hitting ‘10,000 steps’ daily is crucial for good health. Yet, a leading longevity expert has indicated that keeping fit could be simpler than we imagine.
Dr Valter Longo heads the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California, leading research on the challenges of growing older. Whilst most adults in the UK live to approximately 80, he believes that you can ‘stay young’ and enhance longevity by adhering to certain lifestyle principles.
Whether you like it or not, physical activity is central to this strategy. In a 2019 interview, Dr Longo reportedly told nutrition journalist Andrew Merle that 10,000 steps or 20 flights of stairs is a good daily target, but his blog shares that walking for 60 minutes may be sufficient.
“Walk fast for an hour every day,” Dr Longo wrote in his ‘how to stay young’ advice online. “On the weekend, walk everywhere, even faraway places (avoid polluted areas as much as possible).”
Current NHS advice backs this perspective, emphasising that you ‘do not have to walk for hours’ to reap benefits from gentle exercise. Just a ‘brisk’ (3mph) walk for 10 minutes each day can burn calories, develop stamina, and potentially improve cardiovascular health.
If you’re uncertain about your walking pace, you can download the NHS-recommended Active 10 app free of charge on your smartphone. The app offers tips on increasing your speed.
Ageing expert Professor Claire Steves at King’s College London also told the ZOE Podcast that just under an hour of walking three times a week could enhance brain health, too. According to the Mirror, at the time, she said: “So, to improve your cognitive health, you need to do more exercise than you’re doing now – up to a point – unless you’re an Olympic athlete.
“That’s the key thing. If we look at really big population studies, we can see effects, even with minimal levels of exercise, and it’s fairly linear…So, whatever you’re doing, if you go up by a third, you’ll be improving yourself.”
However, it’s important to note that Dr Longo’s advice goes beyond merely walking. In the same article, he proposed that ‘moderate exercise for two-and-a-half to five hours a week’ with some sessions in the ‘vigorous range’ also contributes to a longer life.
These thoughts are echoed in recent research from the University of Bristol, which showed that regular aerobic exercise may be key to reducing specific Alzheimer’s markers. Aerobic exercise encompasses any activity that increases heart rate and requires more oxygen.
This encompasses swimming, running, jogging, and even walking. Although the study was conducted on mice, scientists are optimistic that similar results will be found in human subjects and are planning wider clinical trials to verify these findings.
In his blog, Professor Longo also wrote: “Most of the beneficial effects appear to be caused by the first [two-and-a-half] hours of exercise, making the additional exercise optional.”
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