title: Can older adults improve the identification of moderate intensity using walking cadence?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The majority of older adults do not reach the physical activity guidelines. One possible explanation for this may be that older adults overestimate their physical activity levels, because they are unable to identify exercise intensity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four older adults were recruited and randomly assigned into two walking groups lasting 6 weeks. The intervention group was asked to walk a minimum of 150 min per week at moderate intensity using walking cadence indicated with a pedometer. The control group did not get any feedback on walking intensity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ability to identify moderate intensity while walking did not significantly improve in neither groups (p = 0.530). However, participants in the intervention group increased significantly the time spent at moderate intensity, in 10 min bouts (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A pedometer providing walking cadence to reach moderate intensity is a good tool for increasing time walked at the recommended intensity, but not because participants know more what is considered moderate intensity.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, NB, Canada.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: McLellan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.|Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slaght
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, NB, Canada.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, NB, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mayo
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, NB, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sénéchal
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, NB, Canada. Danielle.Bouchard@unb.ca.
authors.forename: Danielle R
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5510-7786
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Bouchard
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D000072797:Walking Speed / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: perception; step rate; walking intensity