The Effect After 12 Weeks of Having Received a Pedometer and a Pedometer Program on Physical Activity and Health

The Effect After 12 Weeks of Having Received a Pedometer and a Pedometer Program on Physical Activity, Health Measurements, Self-rated Health, Stress, and Sleep Quality: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases in addition to all-cause mortality. Hence for public health purposes, knowledge of effective interventions to increase the physical activity level in the population is important.

The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the effect 12 weeks after having received a pedometer and a pedometer program on physical activity, health measurements, self-rated health, stress, and sleep quality.

A total of 223 men and 445 women were randomly assigned to either a pedometer group (n = 333) in which participants received a pedometer and pedometer program or a control group (n = 335). Of the participants included in the study 198 and 178 completed the health examination, and 192 and 187 completed the questionnaire at follow up in the pedometer group and in the control group, respectively.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Physical Inactivity
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Pedometer-based intervention

Detailed Description

The results from the KRAM Study are used as baseline for this intervention. In the KRAM study all adult citizens (18+ years) in 13 Danish municipalities were invited by letter to take part in an internet based questionnaire concerning socio-demography, life style, and other health aspects. Furthermore, a random sample of the citizens was invited to participate in a health examination. A total of 76.484 of the invited 538.497 citizens filled in the entire or partially the questionnaire and 18.065 of the invited 180.103 citizens completed the health examination. The examination included the following measurements: Blood pressure, height, weight, fat percentage, blood samples, pulmonary function, bone mineral density, muscle strength, balance test, and aerobic fitness.

Intervention The intervention was carried out in three of the 13 municipalities (Silkeborg, Frederiksberg, and Varde). Participants with a low aerobic fitness (defined for men and women in different age groups) or those who reported being sedentary or light physically active in leisure time were - after they had accomplished the health examination - invited to participate in the intervention. Participants were not included if they participated in other interventions initiated in relation with the KRAM Study or if they were pregnant. All participants gave informed consent. The protocol was approved by the Scientific Ethical Committee B for the Capital Region of Denmark (H-B-2008-097).

The participants were randomly assigned to either a pedometer group or a control group by drawing a sealed envelope with a unique randomizing number. The participants in the pedometer group received a pedometer (Yamax Digi-Walker SW-200), a book with a pedometer program, a handout with a summary of the pedometer program, and a calendar for registration of daily steps. The aim of the program is to guide people to use a pedometer and increase their steps with 20 % each week until they reach their goal. During the trial period, they were asked to reset the pedometer every morning and to wear it during the entire day. In the evening, they should take the pedometer off and register the total number of steps in the calendar. After three, six, and nine weeks, the participants in the pedometer group got a mail to encourage them to keep using the pedometer and follow the program. Participants assigned to the control group received a leaflet from the National Board of Health in Denmark recommending all adults to be physical active for 30 minutes each day of moderate intensity.

Follow up After 12 weeks, participants were invited by letter to answer a short questionnaire. Furthermore, they were invited to participate in a health examination including the measurements of blood pressure, weight, fat percentage, and aerobic fitness. The researchers who performed the examinations were blinded to group assignment.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 668
• Phase: Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Denmark
  • Frederiksberg, Denmark
    • The municipiality of Frederiksberg
  • Silkeborg, Denmark
    • The municipiality of Silkeborg
  • Varde, Denmark
    • The municipiality of Varde

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Low aerobic fitness (defined for men and women in different age groups)
• Reported being sedentary or light physically active in leisure time

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participated in other interventions initiated in relation with the KRAM Study
• Were pregnant

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control group; Participants assigned to the control group received a leaflet from the National Board of Health in Denmark recommending all adults to be physical active for 30 minutes each day of moderate intensity.	Behavioral: Pedometer-based intervention; The participants were randomly assigned to either a pedometer group or a control group by drawing a sealed envelope with a unique randomizing number. The participants in the pedometer group received a pedometer (Yamax Digi-Walker SW-200), a book with a pedometer program(18), a handout with a summary of the pedometer program, and a calendar for registration of daily steps. During the trial period they were asked to reset the pedometer every morning and to wear it during the entire day. In the evening they should take the pedometer off and register the accumulated steps in the calendar. After three, six, and nine weeks, the participants in the pedometer group got a mail to encourage them to keep using the pedometer and follow the program.; Other Names: Sleep; Pedometer; Stress; Randomized controlled trial; Pedometer program; Health; Self-rated health
Experimental: Pedometer group; Received a pedometer (Yamax Digi-Walker SW-200), a book with a pedometer program, a handout with a summary of the pedometer program, and a calendar for registration of daily steps.	Behavioral: Pedometer-based intervention; The participants were randomly assigned to either a pedometer group or a control group by drawing a sealed envelope with a unique randomizing number. The participants in the pedometer group received a pedometer (Yamax Digi-Walker SW-200), a book with a pedometer program(18), a handout with a summary of the pedometer program, and a calendar for registration of daily steps. During the trial period they were asked to reset the pedometer every morning and to wear it during the entire day. In the evening they should take the pedometer off and register the accumulated steps in the calendar. After three, six, and nine weeks, the participants in the pedometer group got a mail to encourage them to keep using the pedometer and follow the program.; Other Names: Sleep; Pedometer; Stress; Randomized controlled trial; Pedometer program; Health; Self-rated health

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Physical activity (walking time, sitting time, physical activity level in leisure time)	12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Health measurements (blood pressure, weight, fat percentage, and aerobic fitness), self-rated health, stress, and sleep quality	12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Southern Denmark
• Investigators: Study Director: Morten Grønbæk, professor, National Institut of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Petersen CB, Severin M, Hansen AW, Curtis T, Gronbaek M, Tolstrup JS. A population-based randomized controlled trial of the effect of combining a pedometer with an intervention toolkit on physical activity among individuals with low levels of physical activity or fitness. Prev Med. 2012 Feb;54(2):125-30. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.12.012. Epub 2011 Dec 19.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: August 1, 2008
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 1, 2009
• Study Completion (Actual): January 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 18, 2010
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 18, 2010
• First Posted (Estimate): February 19, 2010

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): February 22, 2010
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 19, 2010
• Last Verified: February 1, 2010

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Stress; Randomized controlled trial; Physical activity; Pedometer; Sleep quality; Self-rated health; Health measurement
• Other Study ID Numbers: 1975