A new study suggests that increasing daily step counts may help people maintain weight loss in the long term and a goal to shoot for may be around 8,500 steps a day.
The research, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and presented last week at the European Obesity Conference, analyzed data from 18 previous studies looking at weight loss and physical activity.
Researchers found that walking more was not strongly linked to losing additional weight during active weight loss programs. However, people who continued taking more steps each day were more likely to keep the weight off over time.
Over an average follow-up period of about 1.5 years, researchers found participants maintained roughly 1% of weight loss for every additional 1,000 steps they walked daily, with the average participant starting at about 7,400 steps per day at baseline.
The study noted that an average of 8,500 daily steps appeared to help participants maintain weight loss the longest, though researchers stressed that it is not a strict target or prescription for everyone.
The increased activity happened as part of structured lifestyle programs that also included diet changes and behavioral counseling.
"This was a lifestyle modification program, and it really is a multifactorial approach when it comes to weight loss. So these individuals got diet and behavioral counseling in addition to really moving more. And so you really need all of that," ABC News medical contributor Dr. Tara Narula said on "Good Morning America" Monday.
Narula noted that researchers described the findings as "hypothesis generating" and said more research is needed.
"The researchers say look, this is really hypothesis generating, it should push us to do more research," she explained. "It is not a prescription that everyone should go out and now do 8,500 steps. But it is helpful information."
Researchers concluded that calorie restriction was likely more impactful during the weight loss phase, while higher levels of physical activity were more closely tied to long-term weight loss maintenance.
The study also had several limitations. The analysis only included adults who were overweight or obese and relied on pooled population data, meaning the findings show correlation rather than direct cause and effect.
"Certainly if you're planning to do a weight loss program, talk to your doctor about what is right for you in terms of your movement and goals overall," Narula said.
"And healthy habits build on each other," she continued. "The more you lose weight, the more you want to exercise, you feel better. But it really is helpful to know that just that little bit of increase might be all you need."
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