Moving more is one of the best things you can do for your health, which is why experts are so worried about the amount of time we all spend sitting down at our desks.

While hitting the gym after work might help you build muscle or improve your cardiovascular fitness, spending most of the day sitting down – also known as a sedentary lifestyle – has been shown to increase the risk of cardiometabolic issues including high blood sugar and cholesterol, even in people who work out regularly.

The problem is, for most of us, sitting down at a desk is an unavoidable part of our work. But according to a new study, keeping an eye on our step count might be a simple way to strike a happy medium between doing our work and looking after our health.

Walking 9,000 steps a day can help you to live longer – even if you’re stuck at a desk most of the time