Number of steps a day to maintain weight loss isn't 10,000
New York Post • • general
Key Points:
- The widely promoted goal of 10,000 steps per day originated from a 1960s Japanese marketing campaign for pedometers, not health research.
- New research presented at the European Congress on Obesity suggests that walking around 8,500 steps daily can effectively help maintain weight loss after dieting.
- A study review found participants who increased their steps to about 8,454 during weight loss lost an average of 4.4% of body weight and maintained higher step counts to keep the weight off.
- The research highlights that while increasing steps aids weight maintenance, other factors like calorie deficit and combining cardio with strength training are crucial for weight loss success.
- Walking remains a highly accessible exercise, with variations like Nordic walking offering effective calorie-burning benefits as part of a healthy lifestyle.
