Scientists Find a Daily Step Count Linked to Keeping Weight Off

Most people who lose weight struggle to keep it off long term, with weight regain common once dieting efforts ease and normal routines resume.

Researchers are still trying to understand what separates the small group who maintain weight loss from those who regain it-and a growing body of evidence suggests daily movement may be part of the answer.

A preliminary systematic review and meta-analysis of 14 trials suggests that walking around 8,500 steps a day is linked to maintaining weight loss after dieting.

The analysis, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, examined how daily step counts changed during both weight-loss and weight-maintenance phases of lifestyle-based obesity interventions.

Across the trials included in the review, participants averaged about 7,200 steps per day at baseline. During the weight-loss phase, daily step counts increased to roughly 8,400-8,500 steps, alongside an average weight loss of around 4 percent.

However, baseline activity levels did not reliably predict the amount of weight participants lost.

The key finding emerged later. During the weight-maintenance phase, participants who successfully kept weight off continued walking around 8,500 steps per day or more, while lower step counts were associated with weight regain.

The review's findings are preliminary and observational, based on pooled data from multiple trials with differing designs, and do not establish cause and effect. The analysis was peer‑reviewed and published in an open‑access journal, and the authors reported no conflicts of interest.

That distinction between losing weight and keeping it off reflects what clinicians often see, according to Yen‑Yi Juo, a dual board‑certified obesity medicine physician and bariatric surgeon.

"Weight maintenance requires overcoming the body's natural tendency to preserve balance, in this case, body weight, whereas weight loss itself is often a more straightforward, short-term intervention," Juo told Newsweek.

He compared weight maintenance to balancing on one leg. "Most people can briefly lift one leg and balance for a second or two, but maintaining that position for a long period is much harder," he said. "Weight maintenance is similar: it involves constant physiologic adaptation and regulation."

According to Juo, the body actively resists long‑term weight loss through hormonal and metabolic changes. Hunger hormones rise, metabolism may slow, and energy expenditure can drop-all of which push the body back toward its previous weight.

The review's findings suggest physical activity may help counter some of these effects.

"Regular exercise can help preserve muscle mass and maintain resting metabolic rate, both of which may support long-term weight stability," Juo said.

However, he cautioned that higher step counts may not be the sole driver of success. It remains unclear whether walking more directly causes better weight maintenance or simply reflects broader adherence to healthy behaviors, including nutrition, sleep and follow‑up care.

"One major limitation in obesity research is that, until recently, clinicians have relied heavily on BMI rather than routinely tracking body composition," he explained. "As a result, we still do not fully understand the relative contributions of muscle preservation, metabolic adaptation and behavioral adherence in long-term weight maintenance."

Reference

Saadeddine, D., Foglia, M., Berri, E., Raggi, S., Itani, L. and El Ghoch, M. (2026). Daily Steps During Nutritional Lifestyle Modification Programs for Obesity Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, [online] 23(4), p.522. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23040522.

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This story was originally published May 9, 2026 at 3:01 PM.