Forget about 10,000 steps: scientists named the real number for weight maintenance.
About 80% of people who successfully lose weight regain it within three to five years. A new large-scale study by scientists from Italy and Lebanon has shown that to maintain results, a simple and free habit may be enough — walking approximately 8,500 steps per day. Notably, this number is lower than the famous “norm” of 10,000 steps, which has no scientific basis at all.
How the Myth of 10,000 Steps Per Day Originated
Before discussing the new study, it’s worth understanding the number that’s stuck in millions of people’s heads. The idea of walking 10,000 steps daily originated from a marketing campaign launched before the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The number was chosen because the Japanese character “万” (10,000) resembles a walking person — and the idea caught on.
No scientific study originally identified 10,000 as the ideal number of steps — the figure became popular simply because it’s round and easy to remember. Over time, fitness tracker manufacturers adopted this goal as a default setting, and it became entrenched in popular culture. But modern research shows that health benefits begin much earlier — and the “magic ten thousand” isn’t needed for weight maintenance either.
How Scientists Studied the Link Between Steps and Weight
The new study was presented at the 33rd European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026) in Istanbul and published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. It was conducted by a team led by Professor Marwan El Ghoch from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy).
The scientists performed a systematic review and meta-analysis — meaning they collected and re-analyzed data from numerous previously conducted clinical trials. In total, 18 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the review, and data from 14 of them were used for the meta-analysis — a total of 3,758 adults with an average age of 53.
The studies compared participants in lifestyle modification programs (diet plus recommendations to walk more and count steps) with a control group that either followed a diet without additional support or received no treatment at all. The programs included an active weight loss phase, followed by a weight maintenance phase.
Step counts were measured at three points: at baseline, at the end of the weight loss phase (on average after 7.9 months), and at the end of the maintenance phase (on average after 10.3 months).
How Many Steps Help Maintain Weight
The results were quite clear. At baseline, both groups walked roughly the same amount: 7,280 steps per day in the program group and 7,180 in the control group.
After that, their paths diverged. Participants in the lifestyle modification program increased their step count to 8,454 per day by the end of the weight loss phase and lost an average of 4.39% of body weight (about 4 kg). By the end of the maintenance phase, they were still taking 8,241 steps daily.
A regular walk in the park — this kind of everyday activity helps maintain weight
The control group barely increased their step count and showed no significant weight loss at any stage. The difference between the groups persisted even after the active weight loss phase ended: program participants maintained approximately 3.3% of the lost body weight, while the control group returned to their baseline numbers.
Particularly interesting is that the association between step count and weight maintenance was stronger specifically during the maintenance phase. In other words, walking matters more not so much for losing weight itself, but for preventing the lost pounds from coming back.
Why the Step Norm May Vary
It’s important not to turn this number into a new “law.” The study authors themselves emphasize this directly in the paper: the proposed threshold of 8,500 steps is a hypothesis, not a definitive recommendation. To establish clinically meaningful step count goals, additional research with pre-defined thresholds and dose-response analyses is needed.
There are other caveats as well. A meta-analysis combines results from different studies, and although RCTs are considered the gold standard of evidence-based medicine, the data still don’t directly prove that steps alone caused the results. Program participants received comprehensive support: dietary recommendations, weight loss habits, physical activity advice, and progress tracking. Isolating the contribution of steps alone from this package is not straightforward.
Nevertheless, the number 8,500 provides a practical benchmark — one that’s understandable, measurable, and accessible to anyone with a smartphone or a simple pedometer.
Why Weight Returns After Weight Loss
Professor El Ghoch describes the problem directly: the biggest and most challenging task in treating obesity is preventing weight regain. About 80% of people with excess weight or obesity who initially lose weight successfully regain some or all of it within three to five years.
Maintaining achieved weight — a challenge that 80% of those who lose weight fail to meet
That is precisely why any strategy that helps at least partially solve this problem has enormous clinical value. According to Professor El Ghoch, the recommendation to walk about 8,500 steps per day is a practical, inexpensive, and sustainable behavioral strategy that’s easy to incorporate into daily life.
For context: the study confirms that lifestyle modification programs remain a viable approach to managing obesity, providing modest but clinically significant weight loss (about 4–5%) and its maintenance (about 3.5%), meaning they should be considered as first-line therapy.
How to Reach 8,500 Steps Without Working Out
If you’ve already lost weight or are just planning to, the main practical takeaway is simple: don’t stop walking after your diet ends. It’s precisely during the maintenance phase that physical activity, according to the study, delivers the greatest effect.
At the same time, there’s no need to chase attractive round numbers. 8,500 steps is approximately 6–7 kilometers or just over an hour of regular walking at a comfortable pace. For someone who already walks about 7,000 steps a day, the increase is only 1,200–1,500 additional steps — essentially, one short walk after dinner.
The most valuable thing about this study is not the specific number, but a shift in understanding: you don’t need marathon workouts to maintain weight. Regular walking, integrated into your normal daily routine, may be the crucial link that keeps lost pounds from coming back.
