title: Association between daily step counts and physical activity level among Korean elementary schoolchildren.
abstract: The purpose of the current study was to investigate steps per day (steps/d) and physical activity level (PAL) in Korean elementary school children having normal weight (normal-weight). We also clarified whether a gender difference exited between steps/d and PAL.
  
  
  
  Children aged 9 to 12 y were recruited from two elementary schools located in different urban districts in Korea. The present study included 33 Korean children, of which 18 were normal-weight boys and 15 were normal-weight girls. During the same 1 week study period under free-living conditions the total energy expenditure (TEE) and step counts were estimated using the doubly labeled water (DLW) method and an accelerometer, respectively. We calculated PAL as the TEE/ resting metabolic rate.
  
  
  
  The range of PAL was 1.25 - 1.93 with a mean value of 1.57. None of the variables of energy expenditure was significantly different by sex. However, steps/d were significantly higher in boys than in girls. When adjusting regression analysis by gender, steps/ d were positively associated with PAL among all subjects (r = 0.56, P < 0.01). Furthermore, steps/d were positively associated with PAL in boys (r = 0.68, P < 0.01), but not in girls (r = 0.27, P = 0.34).
  
  
  
  Our results suggest that locomotive activity may be the main contributor to the individual PAL differences for elementary school boys, while non-locomotive activity may be the main contributor for elementary school girls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, Korea University, Seoul Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Education, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishikawa-Takata
authors.affiliation: Division of Physical Education, Uiduk University, Gyeongju Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-jik
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-kyung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, Konkuk University, Seoul Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ki-won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Division of Physical Education, Uiduk University, Gyeongju Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung-ryul
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Physical Education, Uiduk University, Gyeongju Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: In-Sook
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Education, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
keywords: Children; PAL; Step counts