title: Efficacy of a pedometer-based physical activity program on parameters of diabetes control in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Increasing daily walking lowers blood pressure in postmenopausal women. Controlled outcome evaluation of the First Step Program: a daily physical activity intervention for individuals with type II diabetes The effect of advice to walk 2000 extra steps daily on food intake. Validity of 10 electronic pedometers for measuring steps, distance, and energy cost. A home-based pedometer-driven walking program to increase physical activity in older adults with osteoarthritis of the knee: a preliminary study. Effect of the Self-Monitoring Approach on Exercise Maintenance During Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Randomized, Controlled Trial Impact of a home-based activity and dietary intervention in people with slowly progressive neuromuscular diseases. Comparison of walking recommendations in previously inactive women. Increasing daily walking improves glucose tolerance in overweight women. The effects of a lifestyle physical activity counseling program with feedback of a pedometer during pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with COPD: a pilot study. Pedometers as a means to increase ambulatory activity for patients seen at a family medicine clinic. Does Augmented Feedback from Pedometers Increase Adults' Walking Behavior? Effects of a Minimal Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Women: Daily Activity Records Generations Exercising Together to Improve Fitness (GET FIT): A Pilot Study Designed to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Health-Related Fitness in Three Generations of Women Health benefits of a pedometer-based physical activity intervention in sedentary workers. A 6-Month Pilot Study of Effects of a Physical Activity Intervention on Life Satisfaction with a Sample of Three Generations of Women Effects of a 10,000 Steps per Day Goal in Overweight Adults
abstract: The aim of the study was to determine whether a recommendation to walk 10000 steps per day would result in significant improvements in glycemic control , insulin sensitivity , and cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus . The study was a 6-week r and omized controlled trial that included 30 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus . After 10 days of baseline activity , patients were r and omized into 2 groups : control and active . The control group ( n = 15 ) was instructed to continue with their baseline activity for 6 weeks . The active group ( n = 15 ) was instructed to walk at least 10000 steps per day 5 or more days per week , for 6 weeks .  Data relevant to glycemic control and other parameters of health were collected at study weeks 0 and 6 . There were no differences in the baseline activity between groups ( P = .36 ) . Subjects in the active group significantly increased physical activity by 69 % during the intervention phase of the study ( P = .002 ) , whereas there was no change in the physical activity of the control group ( P > .05 ) . High-density lipoprotein cholesterol and resting energy expenditure significantly increased in the active group ( P < .05 ) . Finally , plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 ( PAI-1 ) activity was reduced by exercise relative to the control group ( P = .03 ) . There were no differences in any other study parameters during the 6-week study . In conclusion , short-term intervention with a pedometer increased physical activity and positively affected plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 activity in previously inactive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus . The use of a pedometer may prove to be an effective tool for promoting healthy lifestyle changes that include daily physical activity and self-monitoring of therapeutic goals PURPOSE The American College of Sports Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( ACSM-CDC ) recommend 30 min of daily moderate-intensity physical activity for health ; however , the effectiveness of this recommendation in lowering blood pressure ( BP ) in hypertensives is unclear . The present study tested the hypothesis that walking activity following the ACSM-CDC physical activity recommendation would lower BP in postmenopausal women with high BP . METHODS Resting BP was measured in 24 postmenopausal women with borderline to stage 1 hypertension at baseline , 12 wk , and 24 wk . Fifteen women in the  exercise ( EX ) group walked 3 km.d-1 above their daily lifestyle walking , whereas 9 women in the control ( CON ) group did not change their activity . Walking activity was self-measured with a pedometer in both groups . RESULTS Resting systolic BP was reduced in the EX group after 12 wk by 6 mm Hg ( P < 0.005 ) and was further reduced by 5 mm Hg at the end of 24 wk ( P < 0.005 ) . There was no change in diastolic BP with walking . The CON group experienced no change in BP at either 12 or 24 wk . Body mass was modestly reduced by 1.3 kg in the EX group after 24 wk ( P < 0.05 ) ; however , it was not correlated with the change in BP . There were no changes in selected variables known to impact BP including percent body fat , fasting plasma insulin , or dietary intake . CONCLUSION In conclusion , a 24-wk walking program meeting the ACSM-CDC physical activity recommendation is effective in lowering systolic BP in postmenopausal women with borderline to stage 1 hypertension OBJECTIVE : To conduct a r and omised trial of a physical activity ( PA ) intervention , The First Step Program ( FSP ) for adults with type II diabetes . DESIGN : A 16-week intervention study and 24-week follow-up assessment . PARTICIPANTS : A total of 47 overweight/obese , sedentary individuals ( age=52.7±5.2 y ; BMI = 33.3±5.6 kg/m2 ) recruited through a diabetes education centre . MEASUREMENTS : Primary outcome :  daily PA assessed by pedometer ( steps/day ) . Secondary outcomes : anthropometric measures ( weight , BMI , waist girth , hip girth ) ; indicators of cardiovascular health ( resting heart rate and blood pressure ) ; glycemic control ( fasting glucose , insulin , HbA1c , glucose concentration 120 min postglucose load ) ; plasma lipid status ( total cholesterol , HDL cholesterol , LDL cholesterol , and triglycerides ) . RESULTS : Relative to the CONTROL group , FSP participants increased  their PA > 3000 steps/day ( approximately 30 min/day ) during the intervention ( P<0.0001 ) . Waist and hip girth decreased ( approximately 2–3 cm ) , but did not differ significantly between groups . Significant changes did not emerge for any of the other variables . CONCLUSIONS : The FSP is a practical intervention that elicits an immediate and profound change in walking behaviour . Such change is an important ‘ first step ’ towards increasing the volume and /or intensity of PA necessary to improve long-term health outcomes in this largely sedentary and overweight or obese population . Relapse by 24 weeks indicates that other strategies such as booster sessions are needed to maintain lifestyle change . Further research must determine realistic and responsive health outcomes for this population that are achievable through practical , real-world programming BACKGROUND It is currently unclear how physical activity and diet interact within the ranges of activity seen in the general population . This study aim ed to establish whether a small , acute , increase in physical activity would lead to compensatory change in energy intake and nutrient balance , and to provide power analysis data for future research in this field . METHOD Twelve participants were studied over 7 days of habitual activity and 2 weeks after instruction to increase physical activity by 2000 steps per day . Physical activity was assessed using a diary , the ' activPAL ' activity monitor and a pedometer . Dietary analyses from prospect i ve food diaries were compared between the first and third weeks . RESULTS Participants increased step-counts ( + 2600 steps per day , P = 0.008 ) and estimated energy expenditure ( + 300 - 1000 kJ day(-1 ) , P = 0.002 ) but did not significantly change their energy intake , dietary composition or number of meals per day . From reverse power analysis 38 participants would be needed to exclude a change in energy intake of 400 kJ day(-1 ) with 90 % power at P < 0.05 ; 400 kJ day(-1 ) would compensate for a 2000 steps per day increase in physical activity . CONCLUSION These results did not demonstrate any compensatory increase in food consumption when physical activity was increased by walking an average of 2600 additional steps per day . Power analysis indicates that a larger study ( n = 38 ) will be necessary to exclude such an effect with confidence PURPOSE This study examined the effects of walking speed on the accuracy and reliability of 10 pedometers : Yamasa Skeletone ( SK ) , Sportline 330 ( SL330 ) and 345 ( SL345 ) , Omron ( OM ) , Yamax Digiwalker SW-701 ( DW ) , Kenz Lifecorder ( KZ ) , New Lifestyles 2000 ( NL ) , Oregon Scientific ( OR ) , Freestyle Pacer Pro ( FR ) , and Walk4Life LS 2525 ( WL ) . METHODS Ten subjects ( 33 + /- 12 yr ) walked on a treadmill at various speeds ( 54 , 67 , 80 , 94 , and 107 m x min-1 ) for 5-min stages . Simultaneously , an investigator determined  steps by a h and counter and  energy expenditure  ( kcal ) by indirect calorimetry . Each br and was measured on the right and left sides . RESULTS Correlation coefficients between right and left sides exceeded 0.81 for all pedometers except OR ( 0.76 ) and SL345 ( 0.57 ) . Most pedometers underestimated steps at 54 m x min-1 , but accuracy for step counting improved at faster speeds . At 80 m x min-1 and above , six models ( SK , OM , DW , KZ , NL , and WL ) gave mean values that were within + /- 1 % of actual steps . Six pedometers displayed the distance traveled . Most of them estimated mean distance to within + /- 10 % at 80 m x min-1 but overestimated distance at slower speeds and underestimated distance at faster speeds . Eight pedometers displayed kilocalories , but except for KZ and NL , it is unclear whether this should reflect net or gross kilocalories . If one assumes they display net kilocalories , the general trend was an overestimation of kilocalories at every speed . If one assumes they display gross kilocalorie , then seven of the eight pedometers were accurate to within + /-30 % at all speeds . CONCLUSION In general , pedometers are most accurate for assessing steps , less accurate for assessing distance , and even less accurate for assessing kilocalories OBJECTIVES To determine whether a home-based pedometer-driven walking program with arthritis self-management education ( Walk + ) would increase physical activity , muscle strength , and functional performance in older adults with osteoarthritis ( OA ) of the knee as opposed to arthritis self-management education alone ( EDU ) . DESIGN A r and omized two-by-three ( group-by-time ) design with participants assigned to  Walk + ( n = 17 , mean age + /- st and ard deviation = 69.6 + /- 6.7 ) or EDU ( n = 17 , age = 70.8 + /- 4.7 ) . SETTING Community located in the Baltimore-Washington area . PARTICIPANTS Thirty-four community-dwelling adults , aged 60 and older with symptomatic knee OA and self-reported functional impairment . INTERVENTIONS Both groups received 12 hours of the Arthritis Self-Management program over 12 weeks and were followed for an additional 12 weeks . In addition , the Walk + group received individualized instruction in the use of a pedometer , with the goal of increasing their step count by 30 % of their baseline step count . MEASUREMENTS The outcome measures were physical activity ( daily step counts and total activity vector magnitude as measured by a pedometer and Tritrac-R3D accelerometer ) , quadriceps femoris strength ( isometric peak torque ) , and functional performance tasks ( 100-foot walk-turn-walk , timed stair climb , timed chair rise , and pain status ) . RESULTS Daily steps walked showed a significant group-by-time interaction ( P = .04 ) after controlling for age . From baseline to completion of training , a 23 % increase in daily steps occurred in the Walk + group and a 15 % decrease in the EDU group . Although steps increased in the Walk + group , total activity vector magnitude was maintained , suggesting a more efficient gait . The Walk + group became quicker than the EDU group in the normal-pace walk-turn-walk ( P = .04 ) . An isometric strength gain of 21 % postintervention was seen in the Walk + group , compared with a loss of 3.5 % in the EDU group . CONCLUSION In older adults with symptomatic knee OA , Walk + appears to increase walking , with improvements in muscle strength and walking performance . The use of a home-based pedometer-driven program to increase physical activity , strength , and function in this population warrants further research Izawa KP , Watanabe S , Omiya K , Hirano Y , Oka K , Osada N , Iijima S : Effect of the self-monitoring approach on exercise maintenance during cardiac rehabilitation : A r and omized , controlled trial . Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2005;84:313–321 . Objective : To evaluate the effect of the self-monitoring approach ( SMA ) on self-efficacy for physical activity ( SEPA ) , exercise maintenance , and objective physical activity level over a 6-mo period after a supervised 6-mo cardiac rehabilitation ( CR ) program . Design : We conducted a r and omized , controlled trial with 45 myocardial infa rct ion patients ( 38 men , seven women ; mean age , 64.2 yrs ) recruited after completion of an acute-phase , exercise-based CR program .  Patients were r and omly assigned to an SMA group ( n = 24 ) or control group ( n = 21 ) . Along with CR , the subjects in the SMA group self-monitored their weight and physical activity for 6 mos . The SMA used in this study was based on B and ura ’s self-efficacy theory and was design ed to enhance confidence for exercise maintenance . The control group participated in CR only . All patients were evaluated with the SEPA assessment tool . Exercise maintenance , SEPA scores , and objective physical activity ( average steps per week ) as a caloric expenditure were assessed at baseline and during a 6-mo period after the supervised CR program . Results : Mean period from myocardial infa rct ion onset did not differ significantly between the SMA and control groups ( 12.1 ± 1.3 vs. 12.2 ± 1.2 mos , P = 0.692 ) . All patients maintained their exercise routine in the SMA group . Mean SEPA score ( 90.5 vs. 72.7 points , P < 0.001 ) and mean objective physical activity ( 10,458.7 vs. 6922.5 steps/wk , P < 0.001 ) at 12 mos after myocardial infa rct ion onset were significantly higher in the SMA than control group . SEPA showed significant positive correlation with objective physical activity ( r = 0.642 , P < 0.001 ) . Conclusions : SMA during supervised CR may effectively increase exercise maintenance , SEPA , and objective physical activity at 12 mos after myocardial infa rct ion onset OBJECTIVE To determine whether a home-based activity and dietary intervention can increase activity level , reduce caloric intake , and impact positively components of metabolic syndrome  in a disabled population . DESIGN Testing occurred at 3 points during the 6-month intervention period ( baseline , 3mo , 6mo ) and at 6 months postintervention . Each test point included laboratory testing of anthropometric and metabolic variables and 3 days of home-based activity and dietary monitoring . A personally tailored activity and dietary prescription based on baseline testing was implemented during the 6-month intervention period . SETTING Human performance laboratory of a university and each subject 's home . PARTICIPANTS Twenty adult volunteer ambulatory subjects with several types of slowly progressive neuromuscular disease ( NMD ) . INTERVENTION Using a pedometer , subjects were instructed to increase number of steps by 25 % over their baseline determined from home monitoring . An individualized dietary prescription was provided focusing on problematic issues identified from the baseline dietary profile . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Body composition , physical activity , dietary intake , energy expenditure , gait efficiency , metabolic variables , and quality of life . RESULTS At the end of the protocol , mean step count increased approximately 27 % above baseline ( P=.001 ) and caloric intake decreased over 300kcal/d ( P=.002 ) . Body fat percentage significantly decreased ( from 33.3%+/-1.5 % to 32.6%+/-1.6 % , P=.032 ) . Gait efficiency did not change , and metabolic variables did not show statistically significant improvement , although 2 of the 5 subjects originally meeting the criteria for metabolic syndrome at baseline no longer met the criteria at the end of the intervention period . Six months after completing the protocol , caloric intake remained significantly reduced ( P=.02 ) , but although mean step count remained elevated , it was not statistically significant . CONCLUSIONS Using a home-based protocol , people with NMD can increase activity and reduce caloric intake . Although this 6-month program showed positive changes , it was insufficient to affect risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome . It remains to be seen if a program longer than 6 months or a more rigorous program could lead to a reduction in the risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome PURPOSE To compare the number of steps accumulated by women instructed to walk 10,000 steps per day ( 10 K group ) with those told to take a brisk 30-min walk on most , preferably all , days of the week ( 30-min group ) . METHODS Daily steps were compared for 58 sedentary women ( mean age 45.0+/-6.0 yr ) r and omly assigned to either the 10 K or the 30-min group . Subjects wore a sealed pedometer for 2 wk for baseline physical activity assessment . Those averaging < or=7000 steps per day were r and omly assigned to a group for the 4-wk intervention . All subjects wore a sealed pedometer capable of storing 7 d of data , and reported to the laboratory each week so that investigators could gather step counts . The 10 K group wore a second pedometer for viewing their daily steps . RESULTS There were no differences ( P>0.05 ) between the groups for baseline steps . During the intervention , there was a significant difference ( P<0.005 ) between groups in daily steps . The 30-min group walked 8270+/-354 steps per day , and the 10 K group walked 10,159+/-292 steps per day . The 30-min group averaged 9505+/-326 steps per day on the days that a 30-min walk occurred , and 5597+/-363 steps per day when no walk occurred ( P<0.05 ) . The 10 K group averaged 11,775+/-207 steps on days when they walked at least 10,000 steps , and 7780+/-231 steps on days that their target was not achieved ( P<0.05 ) . CONCLUSION Women walk more when told to take 10,000 steps per day compared with those instructed to take a brisk 30-min walk . On days when women took a 30-min walk , their average step count was near 10,000 BACKGROUND Physical activity ( PA ) has been shown to benefit glucose tolerance . Walking is a convenient low-impact mode of PA and is reported to be the most commonly performed activity for those with diabetes . The purpose of this study was to determine whether a recommendation to accumulate 10,000 steps/day for 8 weeks was effective at improving glucose tolerance in overweight , inactive women . METHODS Eighteen women ( 53.3 + /- 7.0 years old , 35.0 + /- 5.1 kg/m(2 ) ) with a family history of type 2 diabetes completed a 4-week control period followed by an 8-week walking program with no changes in diet . The walking program provided a goal of accumulating at least 10,000 steps/day , monitored by a pedometer . RESULTS During the control period , participants walked 4972 steps/day . During the intervention period , the participants increased their accumulated steps/day by 85 % to 9213 , which result ed in beneficial changes in 2-h postload glucose levels ( P < 0.001 ) , AUC(glucose ) ( P = 0.025 ) , systolic blood pressure ( P < 0.001 ) , and diastolic blood pressure ( P = 0.002 ) . There were no changes in body mass , body fat percentage , and waist circumference during the walking intervention . CONCLUSIONS The 10,000 steps/day recommendation result ed in improved glucose tolerance and a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in overweight women at risk for type 2 diabetes . This demonstrates that activity can be accumulated throughout the day and does not have to result in weight loss to benefit this population OBJECTIVE To study the effects of a lifestyle physical activity counseling program with feedback of a pedometer during pulmonary rehabilitation . METHODS Twenty-one chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) patients were r and omized to an experimental group that followed a regular rehabilitation program plus the counseling intervention or to a control group that only followed rehabilitation . The primary outcome was daily physical activity assessed by pedometers . Secondary outcomes were physical fitness , health-related quality of life , activities of daily living , depression and self-efficacy . RESULTS The experimental group showed an increase of 1,430 steps/day ( + 69 % from baseline ) , whereas the control group showed an increase of 455 steps/day ( + 19 % ) ( p = 0.11 for group x time interaction ) . The secondary outcomes showed no differences . CONCLUSION AND PRACTICE IMPLICATION S This study showed that the use of the pedometer , in combination with exercise counseling and the stimulation of lifestyle physical activity , is a feasible addition to pulmonary rehabilitation which may improve outcome and maintenance of rehabilitation results Because of their frequent encounters with sedentary patients , family physicians are poised to be on the forefront of the medical community 's response to physical inactivity . The purpose of this pilot study was to examine whether the addition of a pedometer to brief physician counseling could help patients increase their ambulatory activity .  Ninety four participants recruited from a family medicine clinic were r and omly assigned to 2 groups . Both groups received a brief physician endorsement of regular physical activity , a h and out on the benefits of an active lifestyle , and 3 follow-up phone calls from a health educator . In addition , the intervention group received a pedometer and was instructed to record their steps daily over the 9-week study period . Measurements were taken for self-reported walking , walking stage-of-change , walking self-efficacy , and pedometer steps ( intervention group only ) . Among completers , mean daily step counts in the pedometer group rose from 6779 at baseline to 8855 at study end . Average individual improvement was 41 % over the study period . Both groups significantly increased blocks walked per day , stair climbing versus using the elevator , days per week walking > or = 30 minutes , and walking for fun/leisure . The frequency of walking short trips improved significantly more in the pedometer group relative to the comparison group . The results of this pilot study highlight the need for further research on the use of pedometers as a motivational tool in the context of medical encounters with inactive patients This study investigated whether feedback from pedometers motivated adults to increase their  walking behavior . Participants ( n = 26 ) were enrolled in one of two 8-wk . “ Walking for Fitness ” classes . The study used a crossover design , such that Group 1 wore pedometers for the first 3 weeks ( Feedback Condition ) and sealed “ disguised ” pedometers for the last 3 weeks ( No-feedback Condition ) . The order of feedback was reversed for Group 2 . Analysis indicated that ( a ) neither group increased their walking behavior significantly over time and , ( b ) interactions between groups were not significant at Week 3 or 6 , indicating that groups did not respond differently to feedback from the pedometers . If a motivational effect from pedometers exists , it may be small , dissipate before 3 wk . , only work in combination with goal setting , or only motivate certain types of individuals Background Effective interventions to increase physical activity levels are critical in a nation where inactivity is a national public health problem . Objective This pilot study examined whether a minimal intervention ( daily records of physical activity ) increased activity levels in a community sample of working women . Methods In a longitudinal , pretest-posttest design , 49 working women were r and omly assigned at the work site level to the control ( n = 25 ) or intervention group ( n = 24 ) . At pretest and posttest , subjects completed self-report question naires that measured psychological , social-environmental , physical activity , and demographic variables . Subjects in the intervention group kept daily records of their physical activities during the 12-week study , while those in the control group kept no records . In order to compare activity in the two groups , all subjects wore pedometers daily that recorded number of steps . Results There was a significant difference between groups in the pedometer values ( mean number of daily steps ) at the end of the study period ( mean difference ±SE : 2147 ± 636 , p = .022 ) ( 2000 steps = approximately 1 mile ) . Multiple regression analysis showed that only the intervention ( p = .003 ) was a significant predictor of the pedometer values . Hierarchical data analysis was used to account for the intra-class correlation of 0.48 within work site . Conclusion Results from this sample of 49 women indicated that mean activity was greater in the intervention group compared to the control group . Recording daily activity is a cost-effective and acceptable intervention that may increase activity levels in women . However , more research is recommended to study the dual role of activity records as a data collection method as well as a potential intervention to increase physical activity ABSTRACT A 6-month home-based ( HB ) physical activity program was compared to a control ( CTL ) condition in terms of effect on physical activity and health-related fitness in three generations of women ( daughter/mother/maternal gr and mother ) . Volunteers were r and omly assigned to a HB or CTL condition . HB participants ( n = 28 ) were asked to participate in lifestyle , aerobic , muscular strength , and flexibility activities at least 3 times per week and they completed 73 % of the recommended PA bouts . CTL condition participants ( n = 9 ) were asked to continue their usual pattern of physical activity . Changes in physical activity were measured pre- and post-intervention using the Physical Best question naire and pedometer step counts ( 3-day average ) . Changes in health-related fitness were assessed using Fitnessgram tests . Group × Time interactions were significant for changes in participation in flexibility activity ( d/wk ) and steps/day , indicating that the HB group experienced significant positive changes in the expected direction ( + 305 % and + 37 % , respectively ) , while the CTL group regressed ( −15 % and −13 % , respectively ) . The G × T interaction for mile time was significant , although not in the expected direction ( CTL group < by 14 % and HB group < by 5 % ) . Findings should be interpreted with caution due to several limitations of the study , but several suggestions are made for more effectively study ing this topic in the future BACKGROUND Inactivity is a leading contributor to chronic health problems . Here , we examined the effects of a pedometer-based physical activity intervention ( Prince Edward Isl and -First Step Program , PEI-FSP ) on activity and specific health indices in 106 sedentary workers . METHODS Participants were recruited from five workplaces where most jobs were moderately-highly sedentary . Using subjects as their own control , physical activity ( pedometer-determined steps per day ) was compared before and after a 12-week intervention . Changes in body mass index ( BMI ) , waist girth , resting heart rate , and blood pressure were evaluated . RESULTS The PEI-FSP was completed by 59 % of participants . Steps per day increased from 7,029 + /- 3,100 ( SD ) at baseline to a plateau of 10,480 + /- 3,224 steps/day by 3.96 + /- 3.28 weeks of the intervention . The amount that participants were able to increase their steps per day was not related to their baseline BMI . On average , participants experienced significant decreases in BMI , waist girth , and resting heart rate . Reductions in waist girth and heart rate were significantly related to the increase in steps per day . In contrast , reductions in BMI were predicted by the initial steps per day . CONCLUSIONS The PEI-FSP increased physical activity in a sedentary population . Importantly , those with a higher BMI at baseline achieved relatively similar increases in their physical activity as participants with a lower BMI This pilot study assessed possible changes in Life Satisfaction across three generations of women after a 6-mo . physical activity intervention .  The primary purpose of the study was to test the study design and discover critical issues that should be controlled for or changed in a follow-up study . A quasi-experimental design was used to assign r and omly a convenience sample of participant triads into two groups : a home-based group  ( n = 27 ) and a control group  ( n = 9 ) . Daughters were premenarcheal ( n = 13 , M = 10.1 yr . , SD = 1.5 ) , mothers were premenopausal ( n = 13 , M = 37.2 yr . , SD = 4.2 ) , and gr and mothers were postmenopausal ( n = 11 , M = 61.5 yr . , SD = 4.4 ) . Life Satisfaction was measured using the Satisfaction with Life Scale . Participation in physical activity was measured using the Physical Best Physical Activity Question naire and a pedometer to count the number of steps taken per day . Compared with the control group , participants in the home-based group generally increased physical activity but their scores for Life Satisfaction did not increase . Recommendations concerning the study design , reducing limitations , and hypotheses for further study are given Purpose . This study was design ed ( 1 ) to examine the effects of a 10,000 steps·d−1 exercise prescription on sedentary , overweight/obese adults , and ( 2 ) to examine the effects of adherence on body composition and cardiovascular risk factors . Methods . Fifty-six overweight/obese adults participated in the study .  Body composition and cardiovascular risk factors were determined at baseline , 20 weeks , and 36 weeks . Adherence was defined as averaging ≥ 9500 steps·d−1 from week 4 to week 36 . Results . 38 participants ( 68 % ) wore pedometers daily for 36 weeks and were available for posttesting . Significant improvements were noted in mean values for walking volume ( 3994 steps·d−1 ) , body weight ( –2.4 kg ) , body mass index ( –0.8 kg·m−2 ) , percentage body fat ( –1.9 % ) , fat mass ( –2.7 kg ) , waist circumference ( –1.8 cm ) , hip circumference ( –1.9 cm ) and high-density lipoprotein ( 3 mg/dl ) . The adherers had large improvements in body composition measures , whereas the nonadherers showed little or no change in these variables . Discussion . A 10,000 steps·d−1 exercise prescription result ed in weight loss over 36 weeks in previously sedentary , overweight/obese adults . Adherence to the step goal had a marked effect on the outcome
target: The results suggest that the use of a pedometer is associated with significant increases in physical activity and significant decreases in body mass index and blood pressure .
background: CONTEXT Without detailed evidence of their effectiveness , pedometers have recently become popular as a tool for motivating physical activity .
  OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of pedometer use with physical activity and health outcomes among outpatient adults .