The results suggest that the use of a pedometer is associated with significant increases in physical activity and significant decreases in body mass index and blood pressure .
CONTEXT Without detailed evidence of their effectiveness , pedometers have recently become popular as a tool for motivating physical activity .
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of pedometer use with physical activity and health outcomes among outpatient adults .
Increasing daily walking lowers blood pressure in postmenopausal women.
PURPOSE The American College of Sports Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( ACSM-CDC ) recommend 30 min of daily moderate-intensity physical activity for health ; however , the effectiveness of this recommendation in lowering blood pressure ( BP ) in hypertensives is unclear . The present study tested the hypothesis that walking activity following the ACSM-CDC physical activity recommendation would lower BP in postmenopausal women with high BP . METHODS Resting BP was measured in 24 postmenopausal women with borderline to stage 1 hypertension at baseline , 12 wk , and 24 wk . Fifteen women in the  exercise ( EX ) group walked 3 km.d-1 above their daily lifestyle walking , whereas 9 women in the control ( CON ) group did not change their activity . Walking activity was self-measured with a pedometer in both groups . RESULTS Resting systolic BP was reduced in the EX group after 12 wk by 6 mm Hg ( P < 0.005 ) and was further reduced by 5 mm Hg at the end of 24 wk ( P < 0.005 ) . There was no change in diastolic BP with walking . The CON group experienced no change in BP at either 12 or 24 wk . Body mass was modestly reduced by 1.3 kg in the EX group after 24 wk ( P < 0.05 ) ; however , it was not correlated with the change in BP . There were no changes in selected variables known to impact BP including percent body fat , fasting plasma insulin , or dietary intake . CONCLUSION In conclusion , a 24-wk walking program meeting the ACSM-CDC physical activity recommendation is effective in lowering systolic BP in postmenopausal women with borderline to stage 1 hypertension
The results suggest that the use of a pedometer is associated with significant increases in physical activity and significant decreases in body mass index and blood pressure .
CONTEXT Without detailed evidence of their effectiveness , pedometers have recently become popular as a tool for motivating physical activity .
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of pedometer use with physical activity and health outcomes among outpatient adults .