In the United States, obesity affects over two out of every five persons, and the prevalence of the illness has risen over time.

However, studies have shown time and time again that obesity is a complex illness, with a hereditary component for some people. According to a recent study, those who are genetically more likely to become obese may need to exercise more than those who are not to prevent the illness, as per Yahoo Life.

The report was released on March 27 in JAMA Network Open. The researchers carefully examined the relationship between an individual’s level of physical activity and their genetic predisposition to obesity. 

Over the period of 5.4 years, the study participants walked an average of 8,236 steps per day. However, the rates of obesity in the group climbed from 13% to 43% in the highest-risk group and lowest-risk group, respectively.

The researchers found that people whose BMI value was in the 75th percentile needed to walk an average of 2,280 more steps per day — for a total of 11,020 steps per day — than those in the 50th percentile to have a similar risk of developing obesity. 

The precise step count varied depending on baseline BMI (body mass index), a tool that determines whether an individual falls into a normal weight range for their height.