Abstract
National concern for low levels of physical activity has lead to the study of youth activity. This can be done with pedometers or multi-function accelerometers that differ in complexity and cost. PURPOSE:s: To determine if adolescents met recommended activity goals, to compare activity of boys and girls, and to compare steps measured with pedometers and accelerometers. METHODS: Volunteers, 12.8 ± .4 yrs, (19 girls, 9 boys) from a rural Midwestern community, enrolled in physical education, were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups wore pedometers and accelerometers for four consecutive days, two different weeks in the Spring. Pedometers measured steps and uniaxial accelerometers collected and stored counts and measured steps for 1 minute periods. Cutpoints for moderate and vigorous activity were 1953–5724 and >5725 counts per minute, respectively. Daily caloric expenditure from physical activity was estimated using counts and body mass. Subjects recorded pedometer steps and activities in a daily log. Comparisons were made with t-tests using SPSS 12.0. RESULTS: For boys and for girls the average minutes of moderate to vigorous activity exceeded the recommendation and the daily activity calories were significantly higher, p < .05, than the 150 recommended by the Surgeon General's Report. Boys had more minutes of moderate activity than girls, p < .05. Accelerometer steps (n = 28), 13,873 ± 3,154, were greater, p < .05, than pedometer steps, 13,127 ± 3,287. There were no significant differences, p >.05, between boys and girls for minutes of vigorous activity, pedometer steps or accelerometer steps. Common activities were sports, indoor and outdoor chores, and walking.TableCONCLUSION: These adolescents exceeded recommendations for moderate/ vigorous activity and caloric expenditure but did not meet NASPE recommendation for vigorous activity; boys engaged in more moderate activity than girls; and accelerometer steps were higher than pedometer steps.
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