title: Steps measured by pedometry and the relationship to adiposity in college women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between steps per day and adiposity among college women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was cross-sectional and included women ages 18-25. Participants wore a pedometer for 7 consecutive days. Body composition was assessed using air-displacement plethysmography. Height, weight, and waist and hip circumferences were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The women took 10,119 ± 2836 steps per day. When divided into quartiles by steps, the top 2 quartiles of women in the study had significantly lower BMI, percent body fat, and waist and hip circumferences than the bottom quartile of women (P ≤ .05). Percent body fat was different between the bottom 2 quartiles and the top 2 quartiles (P ≤ .05). The odds of having a body fat of greater than 32% were reduced by 21.9% for every increase of 1,000 steps taken per day (P ≤ .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Steps per day are related to body composition in young adult women, but this relationship weakens with progressively higher step counts. A reasonable recommendation for steps in young adult women that is associated with the lowest BMIs and body fat seems to be between 10,000-12,000 steps per day.
authors: Dept of Exercise Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
authors: Bruce Wayne
authors: BW
authors: Bailey
authors: Pamela
authors: P
authors: Borup
authors: Larry
authors: L
authors: Tucker
authors: James
authors: J
authors: LeCheminant
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Allen
authors: Whitney
authors: W
authors: Hebbert
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D055815:Young Adult