CDC Special Interest Projects (SIPs)

Investigation of Pedometers and Step Counters for Physical Activity Promotion (SIP9-05)

The long term objective of this three-year study is to investigate how pedometers and step counters can be used for physical activity promotion in the Latino community. The target population will include Latino men and women who are 21-55 years of age living in the South Bay of San Diego County.

Pedometers have become useful tools for promoting everyday physical activity by enabling individuals to self-monitor their physical activity levels and set goals. Self-monitoring and goal setting are two behavioral skills that are consistently related to long-term behavior change. Few walking-based interventions that involve pedometer-assessed physical activity have been conducted and evaluated, and even fewer are theory-driven with scientifically rigorous designs. Moreover, research is limited in low-income neighborhoods; a disparity to deserving communities. Current step recommendations for increasing physical activity and reducing risk factors for disease are based on fragmented evidence and extrapolated values or self-report of walking duration and intensity. This research will identify (a) how many 'steps' are needed each day to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and (b) the best method of promoting moderate intensity PA when using a step counter.

The overall goals and objectives of SIP9-05 are to:

• Translate current physical activity recommendations into user-friendly pedometer-based step indices (Study 1).

• Evaluate the efficacy, sustainability, and dose-response of a pedometer-based walking intervention designed to increase levels of moderate intensity physical activity and improve health outcomes related to anthropometric and cardiovascular health (Study 2).

Contact: Dr. Simon Marshall, SDSU Department of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences