Pedometers — those little devices that you wear to keep track of how many steps you take in a day — can be a great way to get motivate and moving. However, a recent study has proven that certain cheap versions can actually mislead you when it comes to your step count and, therefore, your fitness level.
The recent study, out of Belgium, was conducted to check on the quality of a particular brand of pedometers slated for an upcoming giveaway as part of a community program promoting fitness. The researchers looked at 35 healthy adults, aged 20 to 60 years old.
Each study participant was given 30 inexpensive pedometers (“Stepping Meter;” cost: $1.20 each) and one pedometer that is well recognized as being of high quality and accuracy (“Yamax Digi-Walker SW-200;” cost: $19.00 each). A margin of error of 10% was considered acceptable in the step counters.
For a period of six days, the participants alternated wearing five different pedometers on the right or left side of their bodies each day, in addition to the Digi-Walker. Each person had an automated step-count log in which they recorded the day’s numbers.
After comparing all of the step-count numbers, the researchers came up with some significant statistics. Of the Stepping Meters, 74.1% had either overcounted or undercounted the day’s steps by more than the acceptable 10%. Even worse; 36.6% of these inexpensive pedometers had an error margin of more than 50%.
Consider that number for a moment — if you take 7,000 steps in one day, your pedometer could be telling you that you’ve taken 14,000 or 3,500 steps — that’s quite a difference!
According to study participants, the Stepping Meter had a couple of main faults. First, the cheap device had a tendency to record body movements that didn’t involve walking, such as sitting down and reaching. Moreover, the Stepping Meter’s reset button was easy to press by accident, making the step-count invalid.
These findings don’t mean that pedometers have no place in helping you to stay active and maintaining a healthy weight. While we all know that we should be getting 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day, many of us do not have the time to set aside for this requirement. So, to make sure that you’re getting your daily exercise in, you can count the steps you take using a pedometer.
A healthy older adult should be taking 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day. If you have a disability or chronic condition, you should aim for 3,500 to 5,500 daily steps. To up your step- count, just try to make small changes, such as using the stairs instead of the elevator, pacing around the living room a few times, or taking your dog out for a longer walk.
The results of this study do mean that you should be choosier when it comes to your pedometer. The device you found in your box of cereal or received in the mail for free is most likely not very accurate, and could give you a false idea of how many steps you are taking on a daily basis. If you’re serious about improving your health — and you should be — then spring for a good-quality pedometer.
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