Walking around 8,500 steps daily may help people maintain weight loss after dieting, according to a new study.
The findings, which will be presented at the ‘European Congress on Obesity’ (ECO 2026) in Istanbul, Turkey, from May 12-15, revealed a strong connection between higher daily step counts and reduced chances of regaining weight after dieting.
Researchers found that increasing daily steps during the weight loss phase and continuing the same habit during the weight maintenance phase played a key role in preventing weight regain. Participants who maintained higher step counts regained significantly less weight compared to those who did not increase their activity levels. The study was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
“The most important — and greatest — challenge when treating obesity is preventing weight regain,” said Professor Marwan El Ghoch from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.
According to the researchers, nearly 80 per cent of people with overweight or obesity who initially lose weight tend to regain some or all of it within three to five years.
“The identification of a strategy that could help people maintain their new weight would have huge clinical value,” Professor El Ghoch added.
For the study, researchers from Italy and Lebanon carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing studies examining the relationship between daily steps and long-term weight maintenance.
The average duration of the weight loss phase in the analysed trials was 7.9 months, while the weight maintenance phase lasted around 10.3 months.
At the beginning of the trials, participants in both the lifestyle modification (LSM) group and control group had similar activity levels, averaging around 7,200 steps per day.
The control group did not increase their daily steps and showed no significant weight loss throughout the study period.
In contrast, participants in the lifestyle modification group increased their daily step count to an average of 8,454 steps by the end of the weight loss phase. They also achieved an average body weight reduction of 4.39 per cent, equivalent to around 4 kilograms.
Importantly, they maintained a higher activity level during the maintenance phase, averaging 8,241 steps per day by the end of the study. They also managed to keep off most of the weight they had lost, with an average weight reduction of 3.28 per cent, or approximately 3 kilograms.
Professor El Ghoch noted that structured lifestyle modification programmes, combined with regular physical activity, can contribute to meaningful and sustainable long-term weight loss.
With Inputs From IANS