title: Pedometry to Prevent Cardiorespiratory Fitness Decline-Is it Effective?
abstract: Physically active providers are more likely to prescribe exercise. Unfortunately, many become sedentary during their training. We examined pedometry as an incentive to promote physical activity in a cohort of medical students.
  
  
  
  This was a prospective, unblinded clinical trial of pedometry. 107 preclinical medical students volunteered. 50 students received Fitbit pedometers and 57 served as controls. All students ran 1.5- or 2-mile timed runs before pedometer issue, and again 1 year after. Change in run times were the primary outcome measure. Step counts, body composition, and exercise frequency were secondary outcomes.
  
  
  
  76% of students with pedometers reported increased motivation to exercise and 57% reported changing daily routines as a result of pedometry. Active pedometry participants declined from 48/50 initially to 22/50 over 13 months. Run times slowed an average of 5.0 seconds for pedometry users vs. 12.3 seconds for the control group. This difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.48).
  
  
  
  A subset of future physicians reported increased motivation to exercise after a trial of pedometry. However, adherence over the long term was poor and it seems to have a limited impact on aerobic exercise performance in this population.
authors.affiliation: Nellis Air Force Base Family Medicine Residency, 4700 North Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89191.
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lystrup
authors.affiliation: Center for Nursing Research and Clinical Inquiry, Tripler Army Medical Center, 1 Jarrett White Road, HI 96859.
authors.forename: Gordon F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Uniformed Services University, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.
authors.forename: Cara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.
authors.forename: Mark B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Stephens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000072599:Cardiorespiratory Fitness / Q000523:psychology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D009042:Motivation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012201:Reward; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology