Could 8,500 daily steps help keep weight off?

Key Points:

• A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health suggests that increasing daily steps to around 8,500 may help people maintain long-term weight loss, though it is not a strict target for everyone.
• Analysis of 18 previous studies showed that while walking more was not strongly linked to additional weight loss during active programs, higher daily step counts were associated with better weight maintenance over an average follow-up of 1.5 years.
• Participants maintained about 1% of weight loss for every additional 1,000 steps walked daily, with baseline averages around 7,400 steps; the increased activity was part of lifestyle programs including diet and behavioral counseling.
• Researchers emphasized that calorie restriction plays a bigger role during active weight loss, whereas physical activity is more important for sustaining weight loss long term, but the study's findings are correlational and limited to overweight or obese adults.
• Medical experts advise consulting a doctor before setting movement goals and stress that small increases in activity, combined with healthy habits, can support weight loss maintenance.