Adding 1,700 steps per day could reduce your disease risk, study finds

Between the lines: Researchers focused on people who were sedentary for at least eight hours a day, such as office workers who sit at a desk. The goal was to find out how much walking it took to lessen their risks of high blood pressure, sleep apnea and other conditions.

By the numbers: They logged positive results for many diseases. People reduced their risk of obesity with only 1,700 added steps per day.

• Reducing the risk of other conditions required a little more legwork, including hypertension (2,200 added steps), sleep apnea (2,200) and COPD (5,500).

Between the lines: Dr. Evan Brittain, a Vanderbilt medical professor who was involved in the study, said it could help guide how doctors advise their sedentary patients.

What he's saying: "Many of us have to be in seats most of the day," Brittain said in a statement. "This is a bit of an empowering message to say, even if you're stuck there for a number of hours, this is a strategy to offset that."

How it worked: Researchers monitored 15,327 adults who used a Fitbit to track their physical activity.