Alibata Health blog

The power of pedometer in walking

March 18, 2008 on 3:31 pm | In Blood Pressure, Health News, Weight Loss |

The people responsible for the operation under goals for itself and the clip on a pedometer for the number of measures in the next life, that those who do not-a record one thousand more, in fact.

New search of the Stanford Medical School, shows that the people who go a step counter about 2000 not - or 1 mile of more every day that those who do not, and in the way they lose a little bit her lower weight and blood pressure.

The research from Stanford, published Wednesday in the publication of the American Medical Association, is the first summary of the results of previous studies, with the step counters. The researchers analyzed 26 studies in the last 40 years, which 2767 people.

Study participants had covered all the objectives, such as the popular 10000 measurements per day recommended goal of many programs fitness has about 2000 more per day, that the measures it before the goal. The persons who are not used pedometers, or is not a goal, not their way, on average.

“I never expected the results. At least for the next three or four months on the study, the average, it is a remarkable effect,” said Dena Bravata, principal author of the study and research associate at Stanford. Bravata has a private practice at the California Pacific Medical Center, where they treated many patients with obesity and inactive.

“My inactive, the patients need to know that they do more, but they were not justified,” she said. “I am sure, a pedometer and a goal, not now.”

In addition to walk, the participants in the study lost some books in the pedometer process, in the long average of 18 weeks, and the systolic blood pressure slightly improved. The researchers said they were not convinced that the path was directly related to the blood pressure and the weight of the improvements.

Pedometers are increasingly popular in recent years, a low cost and easy to use this tool, the inactive on the practice. Doctors recommend that patients often inactive, and they are especially in the work of the exercises, which encourages employees to a healthy lifestyle.

The small devices cost between $ 5 and $ 50-cheap plastic toys, in the framework of trade fairs, or a subscription to the sports hall electronic models, which may be connected to the computer to check the information in the course of weeks or months. The devices are usually clipsé belt, and through measures to monitor each person a foot hits the ground.

Despite the positive results of the search, has found that the doctors, it is not known how pédomètre can be useful in the long run. And, as in nearly all the exercises and nutrition tool provided pedometers are no panacea for the nation epidemic of obesity.

“At the end,” has been a month. Everything that the novel does, and when it is no longer new, they are not working, “said Robert Lustig, a pediatrician and obesity UCSF experts.” Is a step counters help you? If you have the motivation. If you do not do this, it is not necessary. Also, not to lose, as the motivation? I do not know. Proof, the motivation No ‘health is not in the future. What we have shown. ”

But many doctors, struggling to get something to motivate their patients hail the pedometer as a useful tool for raising awareness of themselves and accountable for people to exercise their goals.

It helps that pedometers are something that everyone can use - they are simple, and although many inactive may not be ready, jogging or a high school, almost everywhere, and the can, said Dr. Scott Gee, Kaiser Permanente pediatrician and director for the prevention, and information on health for Kaiser Northern California.