title: Step counts and energy expenditure as estimated by pedometry during treadmill walking at different stride frequencies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purposes of this study were to determine the accuracy and reliability of step counts and energy expenditure as estimated by a pedometer during treadmill walking and to clarify the relationship between step counts and current physical activity recommendations.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred males (n = 50) and females (n = 50) walked at stride frequencies (SF) of 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120 steps/min, during which time step counts and energy expenditure were estimated with a Walk4Life Elite pedometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pedometer accurately measured step counts at SFs of 100, 110, and 120 steps/min, but not 80 and 90 steps/min. Compared with energy expenditure as measured by a metabolic cart, the pedometer significantly underestimated energy expenditure at 80 steps/min and significantly overestimated measured energy expenditure at 90, 100, 110, and 120 steps/min.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pedometers' inability to accurately estimate energy expenditure cannot be attributed to stride length entered into the pedometer or its ability to measure step counts. Males met 3 criteria and females met 2 criteria for moderate-intensity physical activity at SF of 110 to 120 steps/min. These results provide the basis for defining moderate-intensity physical activity based on energy expenditure and step counts and may lead to an appropriate steps/day recommendation.
authors: Dept of Exercise Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
authors: Rishann
authors: R
authors: Nielson
authors: Pat R
authors: PR
authors: Vehrs
authors: Gilbert W
authors: GW
authors: Fellingham
authors: Ronald
authors: R
authors: Hager
authors: Keven A
authors: KA
authors: Prusak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016138:Walking