Scientists Discover ‘Magic Number’ of Daily Steps That May Stop Weight Regain

Losing

weight is hard but keeping it off is often even harder. Many people successfully diet, exercise, and shed extra kilos, only to regain the weight months or years later. Now, scientists believe they may have found one simple habit that could help people maintain long-term weight loss: walking around 8,500 steps a day. The findings, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul and scheduled for publication in the Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, suggest that consistent daily walking may play a major role in preventing weight regain after dieting.Also read: Trisha Krishnan's Intense Workout Routine: Boxing, Deadlifts, and Killer Squats Prove Age Is Just a Number

Why does weight regain happen?

Health experts say maintaining weight loss is one of the biggest challenges in obesity treatment. According to researchers, nearly 80 per cent of people with overweight or obesity regain some or all of their lost weight within three to five years. And so, identifying a sustainable long-term strategy for weight maintenance could have major public health benefits. While many fitness programs encourage increasing daily activity, there has been limited evidence about exactly how many steps are required to maintain weight loss successfully.

Why 8,500 steps may be the “sweet spot”?

The researchers conducted a large systematic review and meta-analysis examining the relationship between walking and long-term weight management. The analysis included 18 randomised controlled trials involving 3,758 adults with overweight or obesity from countries including the UK, US, Australia, and Japan. Participants in lifestyle intervention programs combined dietary changes with increased physical activity. Researchers monitored step counts during the weight-loss phase, the weight-maintenance phase, and the long-term follow-up periods. At the beginning of the studies, participants walked an average of around 7,200 steps daily. During the weight-loss phase, people in the lifestyle programs increased their activity to approximately 8,450 steps per day. These participants lost an average of around 4 kilograms. Most importantly, those who maintained step counts close to 8,500 daily during the maintenance phase were more successful at preventing weight regain later. By comparison, participants who did not increase activity levels showed little improvement in long-term weight management.

Walking alone does not cause major weight loss

Researchers noted that simply increasing step count did not directly cause dramatic weight loss during dieting. Instead, calorie reduction and dietary changes remained the biggest drivers of initial weight loss. However, physical activity appeared to play a crucial role in helping people sustain their progress over time. Experts say regular walking may help:

• Improve metabolism
• Burn additional calories
• Support appetite regulation
• Reduce stress eating
• Improve insulin sensitivity
• Maintain muscle mass after weight loss

Why walking works better than extreme fitness plans?

Doctors say walking is one of the safest and most sustainable forms of exercise because it is:

• Low-impact
• Easy to maintain
• Accessible for most age groups
• Less physically exhausting than intense workouts

Unlike strict fitness routines that many people abandon after a few months, walking can easily become part of everyday life. The findings also challenge the popular “10,000 steps a day” rule. According to the researchers, maintaining approximately 8,500 daily steps may already provide significant long-term benefits for weight maintenance. Experts emphasise that successful long-term weight management is not about crash dieting or extreme workouts. Sustainable habits matter more. Researchers recommend combining balanced nutrition, consistent walking, moderate physical activity, and long-term lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic disorders. The study suggests that something as simple as daily walking could become one of the most effective strategies to stop the frustrating cycle of losing and regaining weight.