Study shows 8,500 daily steps suffice to keep weight off

A new meta‑analysis presented at the European Obesity Congress in Istanbul and published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health examined data from more than 3,700 participants in lifestyle‑change programs. The research, led by scientists from Italy and Lebanon, found that increasing daily walking to around 8,500 steps helps maintain weight loss after dieting, while a higher step count was not linked to greater weight loss during the diet itself.

Participants who raised their average step count to about 8,454 steps per day lost a significant amount of weight and were more successful at keeping it off compared with those who did not increase their activity. The control group, which did not change step levels, showed no weight loss. Researchers highlighted that preventing weight regain is the biggest challenge in obesity treatment and suggested that 8,500 steps a day is a simple, accessible strategy for long‑term weight maintenance.