原著 West Kyushu Journal of Rehabilitation Sciences ：− ，Assessment of daily step differences between youth and elders
Hiroya Miyabara ） Makoto Uchinoura ） Yuki Kishikawa ） Yuji Yamaguchi ）Youhei Komatsu ） Moemi Matsuo ） Seijiro Nishimura ） Shinichi Shibata ） Hajime Shibata ）Abstract[Purpose] The main objective of this study was to assess daily steps differences

between youth and elders. [Method] Thirty-five youth and fifteen elders participated in thisstudy. The following variables were assessed: age, body mass index, frequency of exercise,and pedometer data. The participants were asked to wear pedometer (Tanita PD-646) for
their waist for 7 days and recorded daily steps. We assessed of daily steps differences between youth and elders. [Results] The daily steps average of youth was 5,267 steps, andthat of elders was 6,711 steps. The result showed significantly fewer daily steps in youth
than elders. There was no significant correlation between the weekly steps and age, BMI,
frequency of moderate exercise in both youth and elders.
Keywords：Pedometer, Youth, ElderIntroductionclub activities. Most of the reasons are that it is diffi-

Physical activity is cited as a lifestyle-related fac-

cult to practice without time. Athletic club activities in

tor that has the strongest effect on the length ofcollege life play an important role for not only improv-

healthy life expectancy of elders and shorten the pe-

ing competitive physical strength and physicalriod of care required before death [1]. The active walk-strength, but also in enhancing the ability to adapt toing exercise in daily life is recommended for elders asgroup life, sociality and humanity, and enriching hu-

an initial preventive activity, and the guidelines rec-man relationships [4]. Although the tendency of uni-

ommended that 7,000 steps per day for male elders

versity students with lack of exercise has been becom-and 6,000 steps for female elders to maintain theiring serious,, the actual number of studentsʼ daily steps

health [2]. On the other hand, the previous survey con-and the factors which affect daily steps were not wellducted in 1994 suggested the participation rate in club

known yet.

activities has been steadily declining, and in particular,
the number of people who have left the athletic clubIn the present study, we compared predictors fordaily steps between youth and elders.

has continued to decline [3]. As a recent feature, more
students seems like to be thinking as self-centeredway. They think that might be restraint if they join
受付日：令和 年 月 日，採択日：令和 年 月 日）Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences Nishikyushu University
4490-9 Ozaki, Kanzaki, Saga, 8428585, Japan. Tel+81952524191.
Correspondence; miyabarahi@nisikyu-u.ac.jp）Kabutoyama M S Limited Company R
1939-1 Toyota Yamamoto Town, Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture, 839-0827, Japan.
）Faculty of Health and Social Welfare Sciences Nishikyushu University
4490-9 Ozaki, Kanzaki, Saga, 8428585, Japan.
）Kurume Rehabilitation Hospital 1887 Toyota Yamamoto Town, Kurume City, Fukuoka
Prefecture, 839-0827, Japan.

Assessment of daily step differences between youth and elders

Materials Methods

their right knee each morning, and to wear the pedometer all day while doing usual activities, then re-Thirty-five youth (13 males, 22 females; 20.1 0.3

cord the daily steps in the night before going to bed.

years old) and fifteen elders (5 males, 10 females; 734

The Tanita pedometer PD-646 (Tanita Corporation,5.0 years old) participated in this study. Collected dataJapan) was usedin the present study.and recorded theincluded the following characteristics: gender, age,

number of steps taken each day for 7 days. Addition-body mass index (BMI) (Table 1). BMI was calculated

ally, the participants were asked if they exercisedby dividing the weight in kilogram by height in meter

twice a week.

squared.
The paired analyses were carried out using unpaired

Table 1 Demographic characteristics of participants
Characteristics
GenderMaleFemale
Age (year)
BMI (kg/m2)

Youth (n=35)

Studentʼs t-tests. Correlations were analyzed by Pear-Elder (n=15)

sonʼs correlation coefficient for continuous variables.
13 (37)22 (63)20.1 0.3
221 30The statistical software, IBM SPSS Statistics version

5 (33)
10 (67)734 5.0224 2926.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for statistical analysis. The level of significance was set as P<0.05*.

Variables are presented as the meanstandard deviation(SD) and categorical data are presented as numbers (percentages).

Results
Table 1 provides an overview of the participants

The youth data was collected from student be-

The daily steps average of youth was 5,267 steps,

longed Nishikyushu University, Japan. All participants

and that of elders was 6,711 steps. The result showed

were explained and signed informed consent forms. Of

significantly fewer daily steps in youth than elders (the eligible 41 youth students (35 youth 85%) agreed to<0.05). However, there was no significant correlation

participate in this study. The elder data was collected

between the weekly steps and age, BMI, frequency offrom students joined Nishikyushu Elder University, Ja-

moderate exercise in both youth and elders (Table 2).

pan. Of the eligible 21 elder students (15 elders 71%)
agreed to participate in this study.

Discussion

Participants were shown how to wear a pedome-

Pedometer are considered analogous to computerter as the instruction. The participants were in-hardware; without the matching software (e.g. ex-

structed to clip the pedometer to their waistline above

pected values, etc.) they are of limited utility [5]. Ex-

Table 2 Comparsion of Pedometer Data for between Youth and Elder
Pedometer Data
Weekday Mean Steps
Weekend Mean Steps

Youth(n＝ ）．±±Variables are presented as the meancally significant.

Elder(n＝ ）．±．
±p Value．
．

standard deviation (SD).P<0.05* were statisti-

Table 3 Correlation coefficients between Pedometer Data and variables forYouth and Elder
7 day Mean Steps
Youthvariables
Age (year)
BMI (kg/m2)
Frequency moderate Exercise

Elderp Value

0.28
­0.12
0.19

0.13
0.53
0.31

p Value
­0.10
­0.11
0.36

0.73
0.70
0.20

Assessment of daily step differences between youth and elders

pected values are normative or benchmark values

Author Contributions

necessary for interpreting change and comparison

HM conceptualized the study design and protocol,

purposes [6]. Tudor et al. compiled expected values ofcollected the data, carried out the analysis, interpreta-free-living pedometer-determined physical activity intion of data, and drafted the manuscript. MU, YK, YY,adults [7]. Several studies reported that healthy elder

SN, SS collected the data. YK carried out the analysis

accumulated 6,000-8,500 daily steps. Since then, pe-and interpretation of data.MM and HS drafted thedometer has burgeoned as scholarly and applied prac-manuscript. All authors have critically reviewed, re-tice and the related scientific literature is again ripe

vised and approved the manuscript.

for a comparative examination [8]. The average ofdaily steps in youth and elders in this study was generally consistent with previous studies of pedometer use[9] [10].
The average of weekly steps of youth was fewer
than 5,000 which was similar to other findings [9]. A
previous study suggested that activity levels can beassumed by daily steps; Fewer than 5,000 daily
stepsindicating“sedentary lifestyle,” 5,000 to 7,499
daily steps indicating “low active,” 7,500 to 9,999 daily
steps indicating “somewhat active,” 10,000-11499 daily
stepsindicating “active” [11]. Based on these categorizations, youth in the present study fell into the rangeof sedentary lefestyle.
Although pedometer totals were self-reported,the consistency of the results was reported by previous studies, as users generally wear the devices as directed and report steps accurately [11].
The average of daily steps in youth and elder wasconsistent as previous studies [2] [9]. Based on thesestudies, pedometers can be used as an easy-to-use andcost-effective objective measure of physical activity inboth youth and elders.
Future research is needed to investigate reactivity of pedometers more fully, and to examine differences in variance in step counts especially in youth,and study prospective predictors of step counts in different populations.
Acknowledgments
The authors express sincere thanks to the volunteers who participated in this study.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

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