New research to be presented at the European Obesity Congress 2026’ has shown that daily walking amounts can play an important role in long-term weight control. The study focused specifically on preventing weight loss from being regained.
The research results will also be published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
In the study, data from approximately 3 thousand 758 adults were examined.
It was observed that people who increased the number of daily steps among the participants better maintained the weight they lost after the weight loss process.
While people participating in the lifestyle program took an average of 8 thousand 454 steps per day, they maintained an average level of approximately 8 thousand 241 steps in the follow-up process.
Among the leaders of the research, faculty member Prof. from Modena and Reggio Emilia University in Italy. Dr. "The biggest problem in obesity treatment is regaining lost weight", said Marwan El Ghoch.
According to the research, approximately 80’i percent of overweight individuals regain some of the weight they lost within a few years.
WALKING MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN PROTECTING WEIGHT
The study showed that participants who increased their daily walking amount lost an average of 4 kilograms and were able to maintain most of this loss in the long term
Scientists stated that walking does not directly have a greater weight loss effect in the short term, but it can play an important role in the weight protection process.
Prof. Dr. "Taking about 8,500 steps a day can be a simple and low-cost method to prevent weight gain back", El Ghoch said.
Researchers think that regular walking can also make significant contributions to long-term health and physical activity habits.