Exact number of steps to walk each day to keep the brain healthy and stave off dementia revealed

JUST 4,000 steps a day is enough to keep the brain healthy and stave off dementia, a study shows.

Those who regularly exercise were shown in scans to have more grey and white matter in their skulls.

They are the bits that process information and connect to other areas of the brain.

And researchers reckon it is movement which gives brains this boost — and even a relatively small amount of exercise is good for you.

Their findings are from analysis of scans of more than 10,000 people.

California-based researcher Dr David Merrill said: “We found even moderate ­levels of activity, such as taking fewer than 4,000 steps a day, can have a positive effect on brain health.

“This is much less than the often-suggested 10,000 steps, making it a more achievable goal for many people.”

Colleague Dr Cyrus Raji said their research supported earlier studies showing being physically active was good for the brain.

He wrote in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease: “Exercise not only lowers the risk of dementia, but also helps in maintaining brain size, which is ­crucial as we age.”