Wanna Get in Shape? Wear a Pedometer
November 22nd, 2007 | by Timothy Kintzel, M.D. |
Many people have always needed motivation to exercise and according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, wearing a pedometer is a good way to do so. Researchers looked at 26 mostly observational studies involving pedometer use in over 2000 people whose wearing them increased their activity, lowered their systolic (the upper number) blood pressures, and lost weight. They postulate that the simple act of being aware of ones activity level as evidenced by the number of steps taken in a given period was a source of motivation for people to be more active. The positive benefits followed.
The conclusion: “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. Whether these changes are durable over the long term is undetermined”.
Reference: Bravata et al, JAMA. 2007 Nov 21;298(19):2296-304.