Pedometers plus goals encourage weight loss and other health benefits
Provided by: The Canadian Press
Written by: Carla K. Johnson, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO, Illinois, USA –
A $20 fitness gadget stood up to multiple research studies, helping people walk an additional 1.5 kilometres each day - but only if they logged their steps.
Those who did lowered their blood pressure and lost a few pounds, an analysis found.
Pedometers, also called step counters, clip to a belt or waistband and count the steps the wearer takes during the day. They range in price from $5 to $60, with simple yet reliable models costing around $20.
The analysis found that increasing physical activity depended on setting a goal and keeping a diary of the number of steps walked each day, said co-author Dr. Dena Bravata of Stanford University. Her report appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association.
"Every night, you write down how many steps you walked that day," she said. "By flipping back through your diary, you're able to see patterns: 'On the two days a week I took the stairs, I increased my steps."'
Bravata, a practising internist, wanted to recommend pedometers to her patients. But she "really wanted to know if these little gizmos that now are increasingly popular worked."
She and her colleagues analyzed 20 studies from the United States and Canada and half a dozen from Japan, Europe and Australia. The average age of participants was 49, and 85 per cent were female because some studies targeted women. The total number of volunteers overall was more than 2,700.
The research showed that pedometer users increased their physical activity by about 27 per cent, walking about 1.5 kilometres more a day than they did before they started their step-counting routines. Most of the studies established a baseline by asking these walkers not to change their usual activity while wearing a sealed pedometer, that is, one where they couldn't see the number of steps, for three to seven days.
On average, the volunteers lost a few pounds. And their blood pressure dropped enough to lower their risk for stroke and heart disease, Bravata said.
Keeping a step diary was key; those who didn't do that showed no significant increase in walking. Pedometer users who didn't have a step goal also failed to increase their physical activity.
A Japanese fitness movement sets a goal of 10,000 steps, but more modest goals also worked to increase activity, Bravata said.
It's still unclear whether the effects are long-lasting, she said. The studies followed patients, on average, 18 weeks.
There were lasting effects for Marcy Ross, 54, an encyclopedia editor from Great Barrington, Mass. She has clocked more than three million steps since putting on a pedometer 2 1/2 years ago and has lost "five to 10 extra pounds."
"It's the best thing I ever did," Ross said. Recording her steps on the website of the non-profit group America on the Move inspires her to walk instead of drive when doing errands and to get up to talk to a co-worker rather than send an e-mail.
Dr. David Bassett Jr. of the University of Tennessee praised the analysis for pulling together what's known about pedometers and fitness. Bassett has done pedometer research, but was not involved in the new analysis.
"This puts us on firmer ground in saying what we know about the use of pedometers in changing behaviour," Bassett said.
The analysis was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging.
-
On the Net:
JAMA: http://jama.ama-assn.org
America on the Move: http://americaonthemove.org
Experts offer this advice for choosing and using a pedometer:
START SIMPLE: Fancy models record calories burned, announce your steps in a female voice and include an FM radio, but most people need only a simple step counter.
WHAT'S INSIDE: Piezo-electric pedometers have an internal crystal that works even when tipped sideways by a bulging tummy. Spring-lever mechanisms can be inexact unless kept upright.
SWEET SPOT: Verify a pedometer's accuracy by taking 20 steps and checking the readout. Off by more than a step or two? Slide the pedometer to a new spot on your waistband and try again.
FREEBIES: Beware of pedometers given away as promotions. They can be off by 25 per cent or more.
CLIPS AND STRAPS: Solid clips with a strap or leash can prevent damage and loss.
BRANDS: Yamax, New-Lifestyles, Walk4Life, Accusplit, and Omron are brands that performed well in precision studies.
ONLINE: The best pedometers are sold through websites and stores specializing in running gear. Expect to pay around $20 for a reliable model.
Sources:
Dr. David Bassett Jr., University of Tennessee; Helen Thompson, America on the Move, Colorado; Teresa Vollenweider, New-Lifestyles Inc.
The contents of this site are for informational purposes only and are meant to be discussed with your physician or other qualified health care professional before being acted on. Never disregard any advice given to you by your doctor or other qualified health care professional. Always seek the advice of a physician or other licensed health care professional regarding any questions you have about your medical condition(s) and treatment(s). This site is not a substitute for medical advice.
© 1996 - 2007 MediResource Inc. - Targeted Health Solutions