Spring-Levered versus Piezo-Electric Pedometer Accuracy in Overweight and Obese Adults
Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of BMI, waist circumference, and pedometer tilt on the accuracy of a spring-levered pedometer (Yamax Digiwalker SW-200 (SW)) and a piezo-electric pedometer (New Lifestyles NL-2000 (NL)) during treadmill walking and over a 24-h period in overweight and obese adults. METHODS: Forty participants (40 +/- 13.0 yr, 32.6 +/- 4.8 kg.m) walked on a treadmill at various speeds (54, 67, 80, 94, and 107 m.min) for 3-min stages. Simultaneously, an investigator determined actual steps by a hand counter. For all walking trials the SW and NL were positioned on the right and left waistband, respectively. Height, weight, pedometer tilt angle and circumference measures of the hip and waist were also measured. Thirty-six participants wore the pedometers for a 24-h period in the same position as during the treadmill walking trials. RESULTS: : In general, the SW became less accurate with increasing BMI, increasing waist circumference, and greater pedometer tilt, whereas the NL was not affected by these variables. The SW error scores were significantly correlated with the absolute pedometer tilt angle at all walking speeds (P < 0.05), but the NL error scores were not. On average the NL recorded 1030 +/- 1414 (16.5 +/- 22.7%) more steps that the SW during the 24-h trial. CONCLUSION: In overweight and obese individuals, a piezo-electric pedometer (NL) is more accurate than a spring-levered pedometer (SW), especially at slower walking speeds. In addition, it appears that pedometer tilt; more so than waist circumference and BMI, was the most important factor influencing the accuracy of the SW. The NL accuracy was not affected by pedometer tilt, waist circumference, or BMI.
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The main sources of error for waist-worn spring-levered pedometers are slow walking speeds and obesity, both causing underestimation of steps.
“The main sources of error for this class of devices are slow walking speeds and obesity, which both result in underestimation of steps.”
From Step Counting: A Review of Measurement Considerations and Health-Related Applications (2017) · cites this paper as [18]
Spring-levered pedometers have diminished accuracy in obese individuals because tilting away from the vertical axis diminishes sensitivity, causing undercounting.
“Spring-levered pedometers have diminished accuracy in obese individuals. According to Crouter et al. [18], this is because when they are tilted away from the vertical axis their sensitivity is diminished, causing them to undercount steps.”
From Step Counting: A Review of Measurement Considerations and Health-Related Applications (2017) · cites this paper as [18]
The New Lifestyles NL-2000 and Omron HJ-720 are not impacted by obesity or tilt angle.
“Two such devices (New Lifestyles NL-2000 and Omron HJ-720) are not impacted by obesity or tilt angle [18, 19].”
From Step Counting: A Review of Measurement Considerations and Health-Related Applications (2017) · cites this paper as [18]
Waist-worn accelerometer-based step counters are generally more accurate than spring-levered pedometers.
“Waist-worn accelerometer-based step counters are generally more accurate than spring-levered pedometers.”
From Step Counting: A Review of Measurement Considerations and Health-Related Applications (2017) · cites this paper as [18]
Good step counters can record steps within ±3% during walking at 80.4 m/min (3 mph).
“Good step counters can record steps within this range during walking at 80.4 m/min, or 3 mph [12, 18, 24, 38, 39].”
From Step Counting: A Review of Measurement Considerations and Health-Related Applications (2017) · cites this paper as [18]
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- Authors
- CROUTER, S. E., SCHNEIDER, P. L., & BASSETT, D. R.
- Affiliations
- Cornell University (US)
- Ball State University (US)
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (US)
- Venue
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
- Published
- 2005-10
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1673-1679
- ISSN
- 0195-9131 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2075354606
- Cited by
- 295
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 24
- FWCI
- 9.59
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Context-Aware Activity Recognition Systems
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Lower Extremity Biomechanics and Pathologies
- Keywords
- overweight adults, obesity, body mass index, waist circumference, walking speed, step counting
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Body Constitution, Female, Humans, Male, Obesity, Reproducibility of Results, Body Mass Index, Walking, Overweight
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