No significant changes in any other health outcomes were found in either group .
Background : Recent systematic review s have suggested that pedometers may be effective motivational tools to promote walking .
However , studies tend to be of a relatively short duration , with small clinical based sample s. Further research is required to demonstrate their effectiveness in adequately powered , community based studies .
Objective : Using a r and omized controlled trial design , this study assessed the impact of a 12-week graduated pedometer-based walking intervention on daily step-counts , self-reported physical activity and health outcomes in a Scottish community sample not meeting current physical activity recommendations .
Walking towards health in a university community: a feasibility study.
OBJECTIVE Using a r and omised control trial design , this study assessed the impact of two walking interventions , on the work day step counts and health of UK academic and administrative , university employees . METHOD A convenience sample of 58 women ( age 42+/-10 years ) and 6 men ( age 40+/-11 years ) completed baseline and intervention measures for step counts , % body fat , waist circumference and systolic/diastolic blood pressure , during a ten-week period ( October to December , 2005 ) . Before intervention , baseline step counts ( five working days ) were used to r and omly allocate participants to a control ( maintain normal behaviour , n=22 ) and two treatment groups ( " walking routes " , n=21 ; " walking in tasks " , n=21 ) . Intervention effects were evaluated by calculating differences between pre-intervention and intervention data . A one-way ANOVA analysed significant differences between groups . RESULTS A significant intervention effect ( p<0.002 ) was found for step counts , with mean differences indicating a decrease in steps for the control group ( -767 steps/day ) and increases in the " walking routes " ( + 926 steps/day ) and " walking in tasks " ( + 997 steps/day ) groups . Small , non-significant changes were found in % body fat , waist circumference and blood pressure . CONCLUSIONS Findings have implication s for work-based physical activity promotion and the development of walking interventions within the completion of work-based tasks
No significant changes in any other health outcomes were found in either group .
Background : Recent systematic review s have suggested that pedometers may be effective motivational tools to promote walking .
However , studies tend to be of a relatively short duration , with small clinical based sample s. Further research is required to demonstrate their effectiveness in adequately powered , community based studies .
Objective : Using a r and omized controlled trial design , this study assessed the impact of a 12-week graduated pedometer-based walking intervention on daily step-counts , self-reported physical activity and health outcomes in a Scottish community sample not meeting current physical activity recommendations .