The joint association of health-enhancing walking and healthful diet with central obesity: a longitudinal repeated-measures study
Authors' conclusion
Increasing daily steps is associated with improved central obesity indices and short-term weight loss success, particularly among participants with higher dietary quality.
Study context
- Population
- Participants of the 100-Day Walking Program in Bozhou City (2022–2024); daily steps tracked by pedometer, central obesity indices measured by body composition analyzer
- Participants
- 3,503 participants
- Exposure
- Daily step count, jointly with dietary quality
- Outcome
- Central obesity indices: waist-to-weight index (WWI), conicity index (C-Index) and body shape index (ABSI)
Methodological detailslinear mixed-effects models, generalized estimating equations
- Linear mixed-effects models
- Generalized estimating equations
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Central obesity indices per 1000-step increment
Reduction in waist-to-weight index (WWI) per 1000-step increment
0.014
Reduction in conicity index (C-Index) per 1000-step increment
0.002
Reduction in and body shape index (ABSI) per 1000-step increment
0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Daily step count
- Median average daily step count
- 12 675
Effect modification by dietary quality
- Inverse associations significantly more pronounced with higher dietary quality scores
Joint analysis of steps and dietary quality
- Higher steps and higher dietary quality: significantly lower central obesity indices vs reference (low levels of both)
Successful short-term weight loss per 1000-step increase
- Higher probability of successful short-term weight loss
- 4%
Original publication
The joint association of health-enhancing walking and healthful diet with central obesity: a longitudinal repeated-measures study. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 13 July 2026. doi:10.
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