Research
Energy balance
Physical activity of ≥5000 steps per day is a reasonable initial goal for obesity management, with ≥10,000 steps associated with greater weight reduction.
Start with 5000 steps per day. This is achievable and offers health benefits. If you can increase to 10,000 steps, you may see greater weight loss. Use walking as a tool for maintenance and metabolic health, not just calorie burning.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
the OMA chose an initial recommendation of 5000 steps per day as a reasonable balance between evidenced-based health benefits, and achievability... A greater number of steps per day (i.e., ≥10,000 steps per day) is associated with greater weight reduction [78] among patients with obesity.
Why this rating
Based on expert review and cited meta-analyses.
Source
Obesity management in primary care: A joint clinical perspective and expert review from the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) and the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) - 2025
N. J. Pennings et al. · Obesity Pillars · 2025
DOI 10.1016/j.obpill.2025.100172
narrative_reviewCited 10×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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