Study: 8,900 steps daily prevents weight regain

A new analysis suggests that the daily walking target tied to keeping weight off after dieting is lower than the widely cited 10,000-step benchmark. Researchers led by Professor Marwan El Ghoch of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia reported that about 8,500 steps a day was associated with better weight-loss maintenance after dieting. (knowridge.com) The findings were presented at the 2026 European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul and were also published in the *International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health*. (sciencedaily.com) The study addresses a problem obesity specialists have long flagged: losing weight is common, but keeping it off is harder. (sciencedaily.com) El Ghoch said around 80% of people with overweight or obesity who initially lose weight regain some or all of it within three to five years. The researchers said that makes weight maintenance, not just initial loss, a central challenge in treatment. ### Where did the 8,500-step figure come from? The research team reviewed 18 randomized controlled trials and included 14 of them in a meta-analysis covering 3,758 adults. Participants had an average age of 53 and an average body mass index of 31, according to the study summaries. The trials drew participants from countries including the United States, Britain, Australia and Japan. (knowridge.com) In those trials, 1,987 people took part in lifestyle-modification programs and 1,771 were in control groups that were dieting alone or receiving no treatment. The lifestyle programs combined dietary advice with recommendations to walk more and track steps. Researchers then compared results during a weight-loss phase and a later maintenance phase. (sciencedaily.com) ### Was this about losing weight or keeping it off? The study summaries drew a distinction between weight loss and weight maintenance. Researchers said evidence has been limited on whether simply increasing step counts helps during dieting, and even less clear on how many steps might help after weight has already been lost. (sciencedaily.com) Their analysis pointed to roughly 8,500 daily steps as the level linked to better long-term maintenance. The programs in the analysis had an average weight-loss phase of 7.9 months and an average maintenance phase of 10.3 months. That structure matters because the step target was tied to what happened after the initial diet period, not just during it. (sciencedaily.com) ### How active were people before the programs started? Participants in both groups started at broadly similar activity levels. The lifestyle-modification group averaged 7,280 steps a day at baseline, while the control group averaged 7,180, according to the study summaries. Researchers said that suggested the groups had similar lifestyles before the intervention began. (sciencedaily.com) The control group did not increase its step counts and did not lose weight at any time, according to the summaries. The researchers used that comparison to argue that sustained increases in walking were linked with better outcomes in the intervention group. (news-medical.net) ### What did the lead researcher say the finding means for patients? Professor Marwan El Ghoch said preventing weight regain remains “the most important — and greatest — challenge” in treating obesity. He said identifying a practical strategy to help people maintain a lower weight would have “huge clinical value.” The study summaries described walking as a simple, low-cost and accessible habit that could fit into routine care. (medicalxpress.com) ### What happens next for this research? The findings were presented at ECO 2026, held in Istanbul from May 12 to May 15, and the paper is listed as published in the *International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health*. Researchers from Italy and Lebanon conducted the review, and the published paper provides the formal record for clinicians and researchers who want to examine the methods in detail. (medicalxpress.com) (sciencedaily.com)