Pedometers As a Means to Increase Ambulatory Activity for Patients Seen at a Family Medicine Clinic

Article Figures & Data

Download figure
Open in new tab
Figure 1.
Mean (and percentage) of step improvement for the pedometer group.

Table 1.

Primary Reason for Office Visit

	Number of Participants (n = 94)
Complete physical examination	14 (15%)
Laboratory values	14 (15%)
Gynecologic/reproductive	13 (14%)
Musculoskeletal	13 (14%)
Mental health	11 (12%)
Upper respiratory infection	8 (9%)
Diabetes	5 (5%)
Dermatologic	3 (3%)
Abdominal pain	2 (2%)
Asthma	2 (2%)
Pre-operation examination	2 (2%)
Miscellaneous	7 (8%)

Table 2.

Baseline and Poststudy Characteristics of All Randomized Participants*

	Pedometer Group (n = 50)		Comparison Group (n = 44)
	Baseline	Post	Baseline	Post
Demographic measures
Age (years)	38.0 ± 12.4	—	44.3 ± 13.8^†	—
Gender (female)	31 (62%)	—	32 (64%)	—
Weight (lbs)	194.3 ± 44.2	—	192.8 ± 53.1	—
BMI (kg/m²)	30.5 ± 7.3	—	31.5 ± 9.8	—
Systolic BP (mm/Hg)	114.9 ± 11.8	—	118.6 ± 17.5	—
Diastolic BP (mm/Hg)	68.9 ± 9.1	—	69.6 ± 8.9	—
Heart rate (bpm)	76.1 ± 9.6	—	77.8 ± 11.6	—
Diabetes	3 (6%)	—	4 (9%)	—
Hypertension	6 (12%)	—	5 (11%)	—
Hyperlipidemia	7 (14%)	—	10 (23%)	—
Smoker	13 (26%)	—	15 (34%)	—
Lifestyle walking questionnaire
LWQ 1: Blocks walked per day	7.6 ± 8.6	12.5 ± 13.3	7.4 ± 8.1	10.3 ± 9.3
LWQ 2: Blocks would walk vs. ride in car/bus	4.3 ± 3.7	5.2 ± 4.8	3.6 ± 3.3	4.4 ± 3.5
LWQ 3: Stairflights climbed per day	7.1 ± 8.0	7.9 ± 8.5	6.1 ± 5.7	6.3 ± 6.0
LWQ 4: Stairflights would climb vs. take elevator	1.8 ± 1.8	2.6 ± 2.2	1.6 ± 1.9	2.1 ± 2.3
LWQ 5: Days per week walking >30 minutes total	1.6 ± 1.6	2.3 ± 2.1	1.5 ± 1.8	2.5 ± 2.2
LWQ 6: Frequency rating of walking short trips^‡	2.7 ± 1.4	3.2 ± 1.6	3.1 ± 1.5	3.2 ± 1.5
LWQ 7: Frequency rating of walking for fun/leisure^‡	2.5 ± 1.3	3.0 ± 1.5	2.4 ± 1.1	2.8 ± 1.2
Walking stage-of-change
Precontemplation	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	1 (2%)	2 (5%)
Contemplation	17 (34%)	9 (18%)	16 (36%)	11 (25%)
Preparation	28 (56%)	28 (56%)	23 (52%)	18 (40%)
Action	3 (6%)	9 (18%)	2 (5%)	11 (25%)
Maintenance	2 (4%)	4 (8%)	2 (5%)	2 (5%)
Walking self-efficacy rating	21.2 ± 4.4	20.7 ± 5.3	20.1 ± 6.8	20.5 ± 7.3

* Values for continuous variables are given as mean ± SD. Values for categorical variables are given as frequency (percentage of group total). For participants unavailable at follow-up, poststudy values were calculated by carrying the baseline value forward (intent-to-treat).
† Statistically significant difference (P < .05) between pedometer and comparison group.
‡ Scaled from 1 to 6 (1 = never, 2 = ∼1/month, 3 = ∼1/week, 4 = ∼3/week, 5 = ∼1/day, 6 = ≥3/day).

Table 3.

Change in LWQ Items and Walking Self-Efficacy among Completers

	Pedometer Group (n = 21)			Comparison Group (n = 23)			Pedometer vs. Comparison Differential Change
	Baseline	Post	Change	Baseline	Post	Change	Pedometer vs. Comparison Differential Change
Lifestyle walking questionnaire
LWQ 1: Blocks walked per day	9.0 ± 7.3	19.3 ± 14.4	10.3 ± 14.3^*	6.1 ± 6.7	11.7 ± 9.2	5.6 ± 9.2^*	4.7
LWQ 2: Blocks would walk vs. ride in car/bus	5.2 ± 3.9	7.2 ± 5.5	2.1 ± 4.1^*	3.7 ± 3.6	5.3 ± 3.7	1.6 ± 4.9	0.4
LWQ 3: Stairflights climbed per day	6.2 ± 6.5	7.7 ± 7.1	1.4 ± 7.4	4.7 ± 4.8	5.1 ± 5.5	0.4 ± 3.6	1.0
LWQ 4: Stairflights would climb vs. take elevator	1.8 ± 1.3	3.2 ± 2.1	1.4 ± 2.1^*	1.5 ± 1.5	2.5 ± 2.3	1.0 ± 2.1^*	0.4
LWQ 5: Days per week walking ≥30 minutes total	1.8 ± 2.1	3.3 ± 2.1	1.5 ± 2.4^*	1.2 ± 1.8	3.1 ± 2.4	1.9 ± 2.2^*	−0.4
LWQ 6: Frequency rating of walking short trips^‡	2.5 ± 1.3	3.7 ± 1.5	1.1 ± 1.2^*	3.1 ± 1.5	3.3 ± 1.5	0.2 ± 1.4	1.0^†
LWQ 7: Frequency rating of walking for fun/leisure^‡	2.7 ± 1.2	3.4 ± 1.5	0.8 ± 1.3^*	2.3 ± 1.3	3.0 ± 1.4	0.7 ± 1.6^*	0.1
Walking self-efficacy rating	22.9 ± 5.0	20.8 ± 6.5	−2.1 ± 6.2	20.2 ± 6.4	21.0 ± 7.5	0.7 ± 5.7	−2.8

* Statistically significant change (P < .05) from baseline.
† Statistically significant difference (P < .05) between pedometer and comparison group.
‡ Scored on a scale from 1 to 6 (1 = never, 2 = ∼1/month, 3 = ∼1/week, 4 = ∼3/week, 5 = ∼1/day, 6 = ≥3/day).

Table 4.

Walking Stage-of-Change Movement among Completers