title: Pedometer-determined physical activity profile of healthcare professionals in a Nigerian tertiary hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are perceived as statutory advocates for healthy living and promotion of healthy behaviors such as regular participation in physical activity (PA). This study assessed and compared pedometer-determined PA of different urban HCPs in a Nigerian tertiary hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study involving 180 HCPs from a tertiary hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. PA was measured by daily walking steps using a pedometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean step count obtained was 7,396.94 ± 2,714.63 steps/day. Only 20% of the HCPs met a minimum PA of 10,000 steps/day. About one-third (34.4%) of the HCPs were low active and less than a quarter (23.9%) were somewhat active. Further, less than half (43.9%) of the HCPs were found to have PA levels ≥7,500 steps/day. Overall, nurses had the highest step counts (7,980 steps/day) followed by physiotherapists (7,332 steps/day), while pharmacists had the lowest step counts (6,201 steps/day). There was however no significant difference in the mean step counts of the various cadres of the HCPs (P > 0.05). Step counts of HCPs were found to significantly negatively correlate with their age (r = -0.53; P < 0.001), body mass index (r = -0.39; P < 0.001), and body fat percentage (r = -0.42; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PA profile of the HCPs was mostly characterized by a low active PA level and less than a quarter met the recommended minimum of 10,000 steps/day.
authors.affiliation: Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Physiotherapy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Oluwatoyosi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Owoeye
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adetipe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomori
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Sunday
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akinbo
keywords: Noncommunicable diseases; physical activity prescription; physical inactivity