The effect of pedometer step goal, feedback and self-monitoring interventions on accelerometer-measured physical activity in children

This study assessed the utility of 3-week goal-setting, self-monitoring and step-feedback pedometer interventions for increasing physical activity (PA) in children, and the relative impact of individual and group-standardised goals. Three classes of primary school children (n = 68) were randomised to: (a) individual-standardised goal (IS), (b) group-standardised goal (GS) or (c) open pedometer control (CON) groups. PA was assessed via accelerometry (baseline and end-point). There were no main effects for study group, but there was an interaction between time and group for moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), with MVPA time change differing between IS and CON, as MVPA increased in IS but decreased in CON. Mean plots showed MVPA increased in less-active children allocated IS goals, but decreased in GS children. MVPA in more-active children did not change in IS, but declined in GS and CON. Goal-setting, self-monitoring and step-feedback pedometer interventions did not modify PA. Individual-standardised goals may, however, have utility due to mitigating the decline in MVPA in more-active and increasing MVPA in less-active children.