American adults walk less than people in Switzerland, Australia and Japan, according to a recent study.

Adults in Western Australia, Japan and Switzerland walked an average of 9,695, 7,168 and 9,650 steps each day, respectively.

US adults, however, lag far behind these figures, averaging just 5,117 steps a day.

The research has been published in the October 2010 journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, which is the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Lead author of this study Dr David Bassett Jr said: "The health benefits of walking are underappreciated."

"Even modest amounts of walking, if performed on a daily basis, can help to maintain a healthy body weight," he added.

Dr Rachel Thompson, deputy head of science for the World Cancer Research Fund, said last month that women do not need to don their ladies fitness clothing and go to gym every day in order to decrease their risk of developing cancer.

She said that they can achieve this simply by going for regular brisk walks.

Posted by Tina Wilson ADNFCR-2569-ID-800103801-ADNFCR

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