title: Daily steps among Finnish adults: variation by age, sex, and socioeconomic position.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to provide descriptive population-based pedometer data from adults aged 30-45 years in Finland, and to compare daily step counts with evidence-based indices.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data was collected from 1853 participants in 7 consecutive days in winter 2007-08 in part of 27-year follow up of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants took (mean±standard deviation) 7499 ± 2908 steps/day. Step counts included 1925 ± 2052 aerobic steps/day gathered in bouts of at least 10 min continuous ambulatory activity. Women had more total steps than men ((7824 ± 2925 vs. 7089 ± 2774; p < 0.001). Although participants had higher mean total steps on weekdays than on weekend days, they took more aerobic steps on weekend days than weekdays (p < 0.001). High-level non-manual work, and unemployment were associated with having fewer total steps, but high-level non-manual workers had more aerobic steps than other occupation groups. According to pedometer thresholds proposed by Tudor-Locke and Basset, 26% of men and 16% of women could be classified as inactive (<5000 steps/day) and 20% of women and 15% of men would be classified as active (>10,000 steps/day).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that about one-quarter of men and one-fifth of women are considered as inactive, based on the number of daily total steps. Our results suggest that total steps may provide a very different picture of activity from aerobic steps; important differences are evident by socioeconomic position and day of the week.
authors: Department of Sport Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland. mirja.hirvensalo@jyu.fi
authors: Mirja
authors: M
authors: Hirvensalo
authors: Risto
authors: R
authors: Telama
authors: Michael D
authors: MD
authors: Schmidt
authors: Tuija H
authors: TH
authors: Tammelin
authors: Xiaolin Yang
authors: Costan G
authors: CG
authors: Magnussen
authors: Jorma S A
authors: JS
authors: Vkari
authors: Olli T
authors: OT
authors: Raitakari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology