PURPOSE: To examine the presence and duration of reactivity to wearing a pedometer and
recording daily step counts in free-living adults.
METHODS: On the first visit to the laboratory 90 participants (69% female, age = 26.8±13.0 years,
BMI = 23.4±4.0 kg/m2), blinded to the study aim, were provided with a sealed pedometer (New
Lifestyles NL-800) and informed that it was a 'Body Posture Monitor' (covert condition).
Participants wore the pedometer throughout waking hours for 1 week. Upon return to the
laboratory, stored step counts were recorded and participants were informed that the device was
a pedometer. Participants wore the pedometer unsealed (no restriction on viewing the step count
display) for 2 weeks, during which they recorded their daily step count in a diary (diary
condition). Mean daily step counts recorded during the covert condition and during weeks 1 and
2 of the diary condition were compared using a repeated-measures ANOVA.
RESULTS: There was a significant overall effect of study condition (P<0.001), with post hoc
analyses revealing that mean daily step counts reported during the first week of the diary
condition (9898±3002 steps/day) were significantly higher than those reported during the covert
condition (8331±3010 steps/day) and during the second week of the diary condition (8226±3170
steps/day) (P<0.001).
CONCLUSION: Reactivity to wearing unsealed pedometers and step count recording appears to last
for 1 week. In the absence of any intervention material, step counts return to normal levels
during the second week of monitoring, and therefore represent a more accurate estimate of
habitual activity. These findings have important implications to both researchers and
practitioners interested in the use of pedometers for physical activity surveillance and promotion.
History
School
Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences
Published in
MEDICINE AND SCIENCE IN SPORTS AND EXERCISE
Volume
44
Issue
6
Pages
1097 - 1101 (5)
Citation
CLEMES, S.A. and DEANS, N.K., 2012. Presence and duration of reactivity to pedometers in adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 44 (6), pp. 1097-1101.
This is a non-final version of an article published in final form in: CLEMES, S.A. and DEANS, N.K., 2012. Presence and duration of reactivity to pedometers in adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 44 (6), pp. 1097-1101. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318242a377.