Increasing daily steps from 1000 to 10,000 a day can lower a sedentary person's chance of dying early by 46 per cent, new research has found.

The Australian research proved a direct link between exercise and popular devices like pedometers and Fitbits.

Increasing daily steps can reduce mortality rates, a new study has found. Credit:Wayne Taylor

Even increasing steps a little to about 3000 a day, five days a week, delayed death by 12 per cent, the landmark study by the George Institute for Global Health found.

Professor Terry Dwyer of the George Institute for Global Health said it was the first time research had been able to make a direct link between exercise, measured directly through pedometers, and reduced mortality over time in people who appeared healthy at the outset.