Research
Energy balance
Increasing physical activity, specifically walking, is a key factor in preventing weight gain and maintaining weight loss, with successful maintainers engaging in approximately one hour of moderate-intensity activity daily.
To prevent weight gain, aim for about 2,000 extra steps a day. If you have lost weight, aim for about an hour of moderate activity daily to maintain it. Use a pedometer to track your progress and integrate walking into your daily routine.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Participants in the US National Weight Control Registry who have successfully lost an average of 30 kg and maintained that loss report high levels of physical activity, equivalent to about an hour a day of moderate intensity physical activity.
Why this rating
Based on registry data and surveys, though causality in observational studies is harder to prove than in RCTs.
Source
Strategies for preventing obesity
Mike Lean et al. · BMJ · 2006
DOI 10.1136/bmj.333.7575.959
narrative_reviewCited 83×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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