Physical Activity Assessment Using a Pedometer and Its Comparison with a Questionnaire in a Large Population Survey
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of the pedometer in epidemiologic research on physical activity. Within the framework of a health examination survey in 1988-1989, physical activity was assessed in a representative population sample of 493 men and women aged 25-74 years who were residents of Switzerland. They wore a pedometer for 1 week at work and during leisure time, and the results, converted into steps per day, were compared with answers to a questionnaire. The average number of steps per day decreased from 11,900 to 6,700 and from 9,300 to 7,300 for men and women, respectively, in the youngest to the oldest age groups. For men, categorized according to type of physical activity at work, there was a highly significant difference in the number of steps (p < 0.001), whereas in women the results were associated with leisure-time physical activity (p = 0.003). For both sexes, practicing sports more than once a week was associated with an important increase in steps per day. Analyzing the number of steps according to the day of the week and occupational category produced an unexpected result: Men with a physically active job engaged in more leisure-time physical activity on the weekend. The pedometer proved to be useful in assessing physical activity in a large, free-living population.
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Other researchers began using pedometers for population surveillance and walking interventions.
“At about this time, other researchers began using pedometers for population surveillance [14] and walking interventions [15].”
From Step Counting: A Review of Measurement Considerations and Health-Related Applications (2017) · cites this paper as [14]
The first use of pedometers for physical activity surveillance was conducted in Switzerland in 1988-1989.
“The first use of pedometers for physical activity surveillance was conducted in Switzerland in 1988–1989.”
From Step Counting: A Review of Measurement Considerations and Health-Related Applications (2017) · cites this paper as [14]
Males tended to take more steps than women, except in the oldest age categories.
“Thus, males tended to take more steps than women, except in the oldest age categories.”
From Step Counting: A Review of Measurement Considerations and Health-Related Applications (2017) · cites this paper as [14]
In the Swiss MONICA study, average steps per day decreased from 11,900 to 6700 for men and from 9300 to 7300 for women from the youngest to the oldest age categories.
“The step counter was worn for 1 week, and the average number of steps per day decreased from 11,900 to 6700 and from 9300 to 7300 for men and women, respectively, in the youngest to the oldest age categories.”
From Step Counting: A Review of Measurement Considerations and Health-Related Applications (2017) · cites this paper as [14]
Occupation was associated with daily steps.
“Occupation was also found to be associated with daily steps.”
From Step Counting: A Review of Measurement Considerations and Health-Related Applications (2017) · cites this paper as [14]
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- Authors
- Sequeira, M. M., Rickenbach, M., Wietlisbach, V., Tullen, B., & Schutz, Y.
- Affiliations
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Sequeira, Maria M.
- Venue
- American Journal of Epidemiology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1995-11-01
- Volume
- 142
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 989-999
- ISSN
- 0002-9262 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-6256
- OpenAlex
- W2302601550
- Cited by
- 250
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 1.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- IRIS (submittedVersion)
- SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- World Health Organization
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Context-Aware Activity Recognition Systems
- Social Sciences › Transportation › Urban Transport and Accessibility
- Keywords
- physical activity measurement, pedometers, step count, questionnaire comparison, occupational physical activity, leisure-time physical activity, sports participation, free-living physical activity, health examination surveys, sex differences
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Equipment Design, Exercise Test, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Occupations, Population Surveillance, Surveys and Questionnaires, Regression Analysis, Sex Factors, Walking
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