The Effect Of Pedometer Feedback On Physical Activity

Abstract

A sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In 2003 the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) reported that 52.8% of Americans did not meet recommended guidelines for moderate physical activity. Pedometers are becoming increasingly popular as a means of increasing physical activity, particularly that which is ambulatory in nature. One of the benefits of wearing a pedometer is acquiring instant feedback. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine whether feedback from a pedometer would result in an increase in ambulatory physical activity. METHODS Thirty sedentary subjects, six men and twenty-four women, (46±12 yr., mean ± SD) and BMI, (30.6±6.1 kg[[Unsupported Character - #]]m −2) were recruited to wear a New Lifestyles NL-2000 pedometer (capable of storing up to 7 days worth of data), for a total of twelve days. Subjects were divided into two groups. One group received feedback and recorded the number of steps taken four times per day on a log card for the first six days, however did not look at the pedometer recording during the second six days. The other group did not receive feedback for the first six days, and then used the record form to log their steps over the second six-day period. The order of whether or not subjects received feedback from the pedometer the first or second six days was randomized. Prior to the study, subjects were not given a recommendation as to how many steps per day they should accumulate. The number of daily steps per day for each condition was recorded at the end of each six-day period. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and correlation. RESULTS No order effect was observed, thus data were grouped according to feedback or no-feedback conditions. Subjects accumulated an average of 7,409±384 steps per day during the feedback week and 7,041±374 steps per day during the non-feedback week; however, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.27). When feedback and non-feedback days were combined and averaged for each subject, there were no significant correlations between steps per day and BMI (r = −0.33) or age (r = −0.33). CONCLUSION These findings suggest that feedback from a pedometer resulted in a modest, yet insignificant, increase in the number of steps per day in a sedentary, adult population.