title: Energy cost of stepping in place while watching television commercials.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Modifying sedentary television (TV) watching behaviors by stepping in place during commercials (TV commercial stepping) could increase physical activity and energy expenditure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study's purpose was to determine the energy cost of TV commercial stepping and to quantify the amount of activity (number of steps and minutes) performed during 1 h of TV commercial stepping.
  
  
  METHODS
  In part 1, 23 adults (27.8 ± 7.0 yr) had their energy expenditure measured at rest, sitting, standing, stepping in place, and walking at 3.0 mph on the treadmill. The second part of this study involved 1 h of sedentary TV viewing and 1 h of TV commercial stepping. Actual steps were counted with a hand tally counter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences (P = 0.76) between the caloric requirements of reclining rest (79 ± 16 kcal·h(-1)) and sedentary TV viewing (81 ± 19 kcal·h(-1)). However, stepping in place (258 ± 76 kcal·h(-1)), walking at 3.0 mph on the treadmill (304 ± 71 kcal·h(-1)), and 1 h of TV commercial stepping (148 ± 40 kcal·h(-1)) had a higher caloric requirement than either reclining rest or sedentary TV viewing (P < 0.001). One hour of TV commercial stepping resulted in an average of 25.2 ± 2.6 min of physical activity and 2111 ± 253 steps.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stepping in place during commercials can increase the energy cost and amount of activity performed during TV viewing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA. jsteeves@utk.edu
authors.forename: Jeremy A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Steeves
authors.forename: Dixie L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Bassett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D013690:Television; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult