A Preliminary Study on the Impact of a Pedometer-Based Intervention on Daily Steps

Abstract

Purpose. To investigate the effects of an 8-week, pedometer-based lifestyle physical activity intervention on physical activity levels. Methods. Participants were 37 college employees who volunteered to participate in the study. The intervention consisted of goal setting, pedometer use, self-monitoring, and weekly e-mail reminders. Physical activity measures (pedometer, survey) were taken at baseline and immediately following the intervention. A t-test for paired samples was used to determine significant changes in measures. Results. Results indicate a significant increase in average daily steps (p < .01), from 8565 (± 3121) steps at baseline to 10,538 (± 3681) steps after the program. Participants who averaged fewer than 6000 steps and obese participants experienced the greatest increase. Discussion. Although preliminary, this study indicates that the minimal contact, self-managed, pedometer-based lifestyle intervention was effective in increasing the daily physical activity of participants. Given the combination of behavioral techniques used, a recommendation for future studies would be to examine the impact of individual behavioral techniques on daily physical activity.