Many people successfully lose weight through dieting, but keeping the weight off often becomes the hardest part of the journey.
Researchers estimate that most people who lose weight eventually regain much of it within several years. This cycle of losing and regaining weight can feel frustrating and discouraging for patients trying to improve their health.
Now, scientists say a simple daily habit may help reduce the risk of weight regain: walking around 8,500 steps each day.
The new research will be presented at the European Congress on Obesity 2026 in Istanbul and published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Researchers analyzed data from thousands of adults and found that people who maintained higher daily step counts were more successful at keeping weight off after dieting.
Obesity is linked to many major health problems, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, and some cancers. Because of this, finding ways to maintain weight loss has become an important goal in medicine.
Professor Marwan El Ghoch from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia explained that preventing weight regain remains one of the biggest unsolved challenges in obesity treatment.
According to the researchers, about 80 percent of people with overweight or obesity regain some or all of the weight they initially lose.
Although exercise is commonly recommended as part of weight loss programs, scientists say it has not been completely clear how much walking helps people maintain weight loss over the long term.
To better understand this issue, the researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of previous randomized controlled trials.
This approach allowed the team to combine evidence from many different studies and identify broader patterns.
The final analysis included 14 studies involving 3,758 adults from several countries, including the United States, Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Participants were around 53 years old on average and had an average body mass index of 31.
The studies compared people participating in structured lifestyle modification programs with control groups receiving either diet-only advice or no additional treatment.
The lifestyle programs encouraged participants to improve their diets while also increasing daily walking and tracking their step counts.
Researchers monitored participants during two phases: an initial weight loss period lasting around eight months and a maintenance phase lasting around ten months.
At the beginning of the studies, both groups averaged about 7,200 steps per day.
People enrolled in the lifestyle modification programs gradually increased their activity levels to about 8,454 daily steps during the weight loss phase.
During this period, participants lost about 4.39 percent of their body weight, equal to roughly 4 kilograms.
More importantly, participants maintained much of their increased walking during the maintenance phase, averaging around 8,241 daily steps even after the active weight loss period ended.
They also managed to keep off most of the weight they had lost.
Researchers found a strong connection between higher daily step counts and reduced weight regain.
People who maintained higher activity levels after dieting were more likely to successfully maintain long-term weight loss.
Interestingly, walking more did not appear to produce dramatically greater weight loss during the initial dieting phase.
The researchers believe this is because reducing calorie intake usually has the strongest effect on early weight loss.
However, physical activity may become especially important later by helping stabilize body weight and preventing regain.
The findings are encouraging because walking is one of the simplest forms of exercise available.
Unlike many fitness programs, walking does not require expensive equipment, gym memberships, athletic ability, or special training.
Many people can incorporate extra walking into daily routines by taking longer walks, using stairs, parking farther away, or walking during breaks.
Researchers say the simplicity of walking may help people maintain the habit over long periods of time, which is often the key to successful weight maintenance.
The study also highlights an important idea in obesity treatment: long-term lifestyle habits may matter more than short-term dieting alone.
Quick weight loss programs can sometimes produce temporary results, but sustainable daily routines are often necessary to maintain those improvements.
The researchers caution that walking is only one part of healthy weight management. Diet quality, sleep, stress levels, mental health, and social support also influence long-term success.
Still, the findings suggest that maintaining around 8,500 daily steps may provide a realistic target for people hoping to avoid regaining lost weight.
Professor El Ghoch said the step goal represents a simple, low-cost, and accessible strategy that could help many people maintain healthier body weight after dieting.
Overall, the study provides further evidence that moderate daily movement may play a powerful role in long-term health and weight management.
The findings will be presented at the European Congress on Obesity 2026 and published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
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Source: University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.
